[Adventure] Serpent's Skull: Souls for Smuggler's Shiv (DM: Mewness; Judge: THB)

[GROMkill]

Takahaan, in amazement at his friend's powerful injuries dealt to the creeping jungle-fiends, takes his next actions with an inspired vigor.

"Noriaki! This fiend shall die a gruesome death, and we shall achieve great honor through this!" he shouts in Tsugo (Which sounds pretty elegant for how guttural his voice is.) as he sweeps through the underbrush and vines of the jungle, thirst for blood in his dark sienna eyes, and adrenaline coursing through his veins. Opening his mouth and roaring in a bestial manner, he whips toward the Bloodthorn reeling from Noriaki's grave injuries to it. Takahaan heaves his massive nodachi in a deadly arc toward the creature, slashing at it with heroic power, slicing through its appendages, and causing considerable injuries to it.

"Rrraaaaaaaagghhhhhh!" he screams in triumph, his dragon-shout emanating from his wide-open maw.

[sblock=Takahaan's Actions] Move: Walk to J10, via column 9 to avoid OA.

Standard: Intuitive Strike on Bloodthorn 1. 1d20+12=17 (I'm using the same damage roll as Mewness requested. I rolled a 5, and my bonus to-hit is +10, not +12 because Taka isn't flanking. So 5+10=15, which is a hit against 12 Will.) 1d10=10 Wow, finally a good roll. 10 damage to Bloodthorn 1.

Minor: No action taken [/sblock][sblock=Takahaan]Takahaan Thanazashi Male Dragonborn Bravura Warlord 1
Initiative: +3
Passive Perception: 11
Passive Insight: 10
Senses: Normal
AC:18
Fort:17
Reflex:15
Will:17 HP:14/29
Bloodied:14
Surge Value:8
Surges left:7/8
Action Points: 1

Powers:

Brash Assault
Intuitive Strike
Dragon Breath [ ]
Inspiring Word [x]
Vengeance Is Mine [ ]
Lamb to the Slaughter [ ]
Spur To Action [x]

Other Abilities:

Second Wind [x]
Cloak of Resistance [ ]

Conditions

Bloodied, giving Taka +1 to attack rolls from racial.

[sblock=Important Features] Bravura Presence: When an ally who can see you spends an action point to take an extra action and uses the action to make an attack, the ally can choose to take advantage of this feature before the attack roll. If the ally chooses to do so and the attack hits, the ally can either make a basic attack or take a move action after the attack as a free action. If the attack misses, the ally grants combat advantage to all enemies until the end of his or her next turn.

Combat Leader: You and each ally within 10 squares who can see and hear you gain a +2 power bonus to initiative. +1 to attack rolls when bloodied.

Dragonborn Fury: When you’re bloodied, you gain a +1 racial bonus to attack rolls.[/sblock] [/sblock]

OOC: I don't get to use Bravura Presence on myself, right?

 

[Dekana]

OOC: You don't count as your own ally. A power has to say "you or your ally/allies" for you to also get the benefit. I don't think the movement of that charge works out. H9 isn't adjacent to the starting position of J9, each square of the charge must move you closer to the target (so H9 -> G10 doesn't work), and it's 6 squares of movement to do that whole charge, while Taka's speed is 5.

 

[Mewness]

GM: Taka can charge from somewhere in column 8, but he can't charge into a flanking position. He'd have to end up in column 10 somewhere.

 

[GROMkill]

OOC: [MENTION=14889]Mewness[/MENTION] Wow, I failed hard. Sorry, I should've probably reread the Charge rules in the PHB before doing it. For whatever stupid reason, I thought that Charge gives you your speed +2 spaces to roll, and you could move how you wanted. Should I just do my turn over? Sorry for all the inconvenience this has caused, guys. I guess I still am a noob

 

[Mewness]

GM: [MENTION=6676989]GROMkill[/MENTION] You can't do it over if you're essentially just rerolling the attack, no. The attack is narrowly a miss, but you have to pick the square that you actually ended up in (anything from H10 to K10).

 

[GROMkill]

OOC: [MENTION=14889]Mewness[/MENTION] I was going to change my whole turn, now knowing what Charge actually does. I was going to just use my move to get close to the Bloodthorn and use an at-will for my standard, making a simple turn, but I should do what you suggested, right?

 

[Mewness]

GM: If you feel that you would have done something completely different, knowing how charge works, then OK, do something different. Please use the same roll if it's an attack.

 

[GROMkill]

OOC: [MENTION=14889]Mewness[/MENTION] Okay, I finally got it sorted out. Sorry that I am a moron and caused this lame pause! Knowing now what charge ACTUALLY does and that it would be pointless to use in this case, I instead decided to just walk up and hit the Bloodthorn. Everything good? I used the same damage roll (a 5) as from the screwed-up-turn. [MENTION=57009]Dekana[/MENTION] Also, thanks for pointing out my error and filling me in on the Bravura Presence question.

 

[Mewness]

Kane, his head in searing pain, struggles to maintain his concentration on the flaming sphere, while Ishirou takes a deep breath and tries to recover his focus, determined to be of some assistance to his young liege.

One of the twig blights tries to stab Kane, but misses. The other partially fades from view and moves to engage Kane as well.

The caller writhes in agony as it continues to be burned by the ball of fire despite its attack on Kane’s mind. But it sees another possibility for ending its torment--if it can pull Dartmoor close to the fire as well, his ally will have to remove it! Unfortunately for the caller, its twisted, flailing roots fail to find purchase on Dartmoor. It attempts an all-out assault on the swordmage, attacking both his mind and that of Castile, and directing the twig blights to attack also. Even so, Kane remains standing, though he and Castile are dazed from the mental assault.

One of the large, thorny plants attacks Takahaan but fails to find purchase on the tough dragonborn warrior. The other is burned once again by the ball of fire. Moving away from it, it takes revenge on Hú Lí, hooking her by one arm and dragging her closer.

The remaining zombie-plant strikes at Benjamin, but again the enormous toad merely blinks placidly in response, while cleaning a speck of dirt from his monocle with his tongue.

[sblock=actions and rolls]Kane sustains the sphere.

Ishirou uses his second wind.

Twig blight 1 attacks Kane. twig 1 blighted claw vs AC, Kane; damage
11(1d20) +6 = 17; 7(2d6) +6 = 13 is a miss.

Twig blight 2 turns invisible and moves to P9, flanking Kane.

The caller takes flaming sphere damage
4(1d4) +4 = 8, +10 for its vulnerability = 18 damage. It attacks Dartmoor. caller grasping roots vs Reflex, Dartmoor (+2 defense from second wind); damage (-3 beastform)
9(1d20) +6 = 15; 5(1d8) +5 -3 = 7 is a miss because of the bonus from second wind. Hú Lí uses virtue of cunning to slide Dartmoor to M13 (got a communication from Ben about this).

Caller AP: caller psychic lance vs Will, Castile; Kane; damage
12(1d20) +6 = 18; 10(1d20) +6 = 16; 2(1d6) +4 = 6 is a hit on both. Castile and Kane each take 6 psychic and are dazed until the end of their turn. Kane is bloodied.

Caller minor: grants a basic attack to twig blight 1. twig 1 basic attack vs AC (+2 CA, +2 twisted nature), Kane; damage
6(1d20) +6 +2 +2 = 16; 1(1d8) +4 = 5 misses yet again.

Bloodthorn 1 attacks Taka. bloodthorn 1 impaling thorn vs Fort, Takahaan; damage
7(1d20) +9 = 16; 2(1d8) +5 = 7 is a miss against Taka’s high fortitude.

Bloodthorn 2 takes 8 from the flaming sphere and is bloodied. It moves away from the sphere. bloodthorn 2 impaling thorn vs Fort, Hú Lí; damage
15(1d20) +9 = 24; 2(1d8) +4 = 6 is a hit on Hú Lí for 6 and she is grabbed and bloodied. As a minor, it pulls her to M14.

Zombie 1 takes no actions because it is dead. Zombie 2 attacks Benjamin. zombie 1 fungal slam vs AC, giant toad; damage
5(1d20) +9 = 14; 5(2d6) +5 = 10 is a miss.
[/sblock]

[sblock=Dartmoor: Bloodthorns]Stat-wise, you’ve seen almost everything they do--they grab something with a reach of 2 and can shift 1 and drag it along as a minor. As a standard, they can maintain a grab, do some more damage, and heal a bit. They are level 2 soldiers.

These creatures are unrelated to the caller. Like some other things you have seen on this island, they are unusually large and aggressive, but they are naturally occurring creatures, though the caller seems to control them, using them to drag creatures into it reach.[/sblock]

Nasty Biting Plants: Round 4

[sblock=Terrain Rules, etc.]Perception Checks
If your passive Perception is high enough, you can examine appropriate spoiler blocks to locate hidden enemies. If your passive Perception is not high enough, you may make a Perception roll as a minor action, once per round, to attempt to locate them.

Terrain Rules
The dark green terrain is heavy undergrowth. It is difficult terrain. A small creature, or one who is prone, gains concealment while in heavy undergrowth if there is at least one square of heavy undergrowth intervening between it and an observer. If there are at least two squares of heavy undergrowth intervening, the creature gains total concealment.

The light brown areas are relatively clear and count as normal terrain.

The dark brown circles are trees; they are blocking terrain.[/sblock]

[sblock=Controlling Ishirou]Companion NPCs in Combat

Any PC can take a standard, move, or minor action to have an NPC perform an action of the same (or a lesser) type. E.g., if you want Ishirou to use his Eagle Claw Strike attack, you spend a standard action. If you want him to move, you spend a move action. An NPC is limited to the usual number of actions each round (but those actions need not all be granted by the same PC). An NPC who has an immediate action can likewise only use it if a PC has an immediate action available to use on his/her behalf.

NPCs can take free actions and opportunity actions normally, without the direction of PCs. They are always considered to have their weapons in hand and don’t need to spend actions unsheathing them.

If all of the PCs act in a given round without giving any actions to a particular NPC, I will have that NPC take one non-offensive action. This will most likely be Second Wind if it is needed and available, and movement or Total Defense if it is not. (It won’t be necessary for PCs to spend their own standard actions to have NPCs use second wind.)[/sblock]

[sblock=Ishirou’s powers and stats]Ishirou
HP 17/24, Bloodied 12, Surge value 6; Surges 6/7
AC 16, Fort 14, Reflex 16, Will 12
Skills: Acrobatics +9, Athletics +8, Perception +6
Striker: 1/round, Ishirou can deal 1d6 extra damage when he hits an enemy he has CA against.
katana +8 vs. AC, 1d10+3 damage
Steel Wind (Attack) (standard; full discipline, implement, psionic; close blast 2, each enemy Ishirou can see in blast)
Attack: +5 vs. Reflex
Hit: 1d8+4 damage.
Steel Wind (Movement) (move; full discipline, psionic; personal)
Effect: Ishirou is no longer marked. He moves his speed (6)+2.
[o] Eagle Claw Strike (Attack) (standard; full discipline, implement, psionic; melee touch, one creature or unattended object)
Attack: +5 vs. Fortitude
Hit: 2d8+4 damage, and the target takes a -3 penalty to AC until the end of Ishirou’s next turn. Against an unattended object, this attack deals 2d8 extra damage.
[o] Eagle Claw Strike (Movement) (move; full discipline, psionic; personal)
Effect: Ishirou flies his speed (6). If he doesn’t land at the end of this movement, he falls.
[o] Heroic Effort (no action; personal)
Trigger: Ishirou misses with an attack or fails a save
Effect: Ishirou gains a +4 racial bonus to the attack roll or saving throw.
[x] Second Wind

Conditions: none[/sblock]

[sblock=status]PCs
Castile (L11) HP 27/39; surges 12/13, AP used, ongoing 5 necrotic (save ends), dazed (end of turn)
Dartmoor (M13) HP 13/33; surges 8/10, beast form, bloodied
Hú Lí (M14) HP 11/29; surges 8/8, AP used, grabbed by bloodthorn 2, bloodied
Kane (P10) HP 12/28; surges 10/10, AP used, flaming sphere (J16), bloodied, dazed (end of turn)
Noriaki (K11) HP 21+4/33; surges 7/9, AP used, swift panther rage
Takahaan (J10) HP 14/29; surges 7/8, bloodied
Ishirou (L12) HP 17/24; surges 6/7
Giant Toad (R17) HP 16/16

Bad Guys
Twig Blight 1 (P11) 21 damage, +10 temp HP, blighted claw used, bloodied
Twig Blight 2 (P9) +10 temp HP, invisibility used, invisible
Blighted Caller (H17-I18) threatening reach 3, 36 damage, AP used
Fungal Bloodthorn 1 (I11-J12) 18 damage, next person to attack it with CA gets +2 to attack roll
Fungal Bloodthorn 2 (L15-M16) 28 damage, bloodied
Blighted Zombie 1 (K12) dead
Blighted Zombie 2 (Q16) 27 damage, +1 temp HP
[/sblock]

[sblock=Enemy Stats]Please read the appropriate block(s) only when necessary to resolve attacks or OAs.

[sblock=Blighted Caller]Blighted Caller
AC 16, Fort 15, Ref 14, Will 16; HP 76, bloodied 38
Immune to blinded, gaze, sleep; Vulnerable 10 fire
Grasping Roots (reach 3) +6 vs. Reflex, 1d8+5 damage and the target is grabbed. The caller can have up to two creatures grabbed at one time.
Note: the caller has threatening reach 3.[/sblock]
[sblock=Fungal Bloodthorn]Fungal Bloodthorn
AC 18, Fort 15, Ref 12, Will 14; HP 41, bloodied 20
striking vine +9 vs. AC, 1d8+5 damage[/sblock]
[sblock=Blighted Zombie]Blighted Zombie
AC 16, Fort 17, Ref 15, Will 15; HP 68, bloodied 34
Fungal Slam +9 vs. AC, 2d6+5 damage and ongoing 5 necrotic damage (save ends)
Roots of the Colony: If you hit a blighted zombie, and the other zombie is within 5 squares of it, then the zombie you hit takes only half damage, but the other zombie takes the same amount.[/sblock]
[sblock=Twig Blight]Twig Blight
AC 15, Fort 11, Ref 15, Will 13; HP 22, bloodied 11
Resist 5 poison; Vulnerable 5 fire
Bite +6 vs. AC, 1d8+4 poison damage
Note: The twig blights are small and gain concealment while in heavy undergrowth if there is at least one square of heavy undergrowth between the twig blight and an observer.[/sblock][/sblock]

 

[Dekana]

Though staggered by the caller's psychic attacks, Castile recognizes that Kane is causing significant damage with the flaming sphere - and that he's in mortal danger. She twirls around and launches herself at the closest twig blight. Each step through the jungle is like walking into a tar pit, thanks to the caller's lingering influence, but Castile forces herself to think only of her target. Once she reaches the twig blight, she crushes it to the ground with an overhanded axe chop.

"I think you're making it mad," she says to Kane with a laugh. "I'm glad you decided not to wait at the camp!"

[sblock=Castile stat block / actions]Actions
Start of turn: take 5 necrotic damage, leaving 22/39 hp.

Standard: Charge to O12 (via M12, N13, O12)! MBA vs Twig 1 hits AC 21 for 18 damage, killing it, and Castile gains 4 THP. (1d20+8+1=21;1d12+7+2=18)

End of turn: Saving throw vs ongoing necrotic succeeds. (1d20=10)


PC:Castile (Dekana) - L4W Wiki- Female Dwarf Fighter 2
Passive Perception: 18, Passive Insight: 13
AC:19, Fort:17, Reflex:14, Will:13, +5 saves vs poison, Speed:5
HP:22/39 + 4 THP, Bloodied:19, Surge Value:9, Surges left:12/13
Initiative +1
Action Points: 0 (encounter)

Conditions
Tonic (+2 str-attack damage, +2 athletics)

Powers
MBA: Waraxe, +8 vs AC, 1d12+7 damage (see Combat notes below)
RBA: Waraxe, +8 vs AC, 1d12+7 damage, 6/12
Combat Challenge, Pass Forward
Crushing Surge, Tide of Iron
Dwarven Resilience, Hack and Hew
Dwarven Thrower Waraxe, Villain's Menace

Combat notes: +2 melee / close damage with THP, +2 to attack roll on OAs, OAs stop enemy movement[/sblock]