Crossed Paths - Part I

[doghead]

Instinctively, Marcus freezes.

Where are the others? He strains to hear any sound of their approach. [OOC: Listen +6.]

He almost starts to inch back, careful to make no noise or sudden movement, and to ensure the beads do not rattle or swing as he withdraws his hand. But then the significance of the male voice, and his absence, hits him.

They know we are here! And more will be coming.

This may be our target! We need time! Oh Lords, let the dice fall favourably for us ...

Marcus sheaths his sword, switches his daggar to his good hand and, with a roar, dives through the beaded curtain, cutting diagonally across the room [NW'ish]. Pulling up some 20' from the women and snake, Marcus begins to let loose with his remaining 3 [1 is in hand] daggars in quick succession.

Gotta keep them busy. Run you bastards!

OOC: principle target is the young woman or any spellcaster, if he notices one.

 

[Thomas Hobbes]

Octar waits for Briar's go ahead before moving as quickly as possible through the snakes. The moment he hears Marcus' roar, however, all other considerations are dropped for an instinctive burst of speed. Worse and worse and worse and worse.... the pessimistic litany rings in his head each time his boots smack the stone.

 

[Manzanita]

I appologize, that in that my prior room description I neglected to mention that the man you were pursuing is standing there in front of the women. Perhaps we could say he was simply around the corner a bit & out of Marcus' vision. I also neglected to mention that there are several sets of crossed spears and sheilds hanging from the walls. I can't seem to pull up that map page myself, either, at this point...

With Octar and the others visible down the hallway, Marcus bursts though the hanging beads. He takes a big step towards the women when he feels a sharp pain in his foot (5 pts dmg - dropping you to 7), as though you were walking on spikes, though none are visible.

Marcus makes his reflex save and can either continue his charge or stop, and do something else. Octar reaches the doorway at the end of this round, with the others closely behind him.

 

[Thomas Hobbes]

ooc: Does Octar notice that Marcus appears to have stepped on something pointy?

 

[doghead]

"Blast! Spikes! Invisible spikes of some sort!" Loudly.

Marcus stops and starts throwing daggars to disrupt (hopefully) any spellcasters. Oh for a great ball of fire!

Next round he will try moving further into the room by sliding his feet along the floor.

OOC: 7hp. I'm toast.

 

[Guilt Puppy]

Nathaniel will do his best to keep up with Marcus, but heeding his warning, will stay pretty much under the beaded curtain... Once his shortbow's ready, he'll fire away at whoever appears to be a spellcaster (or the best spellcaster) -- at the moment, probably the older woman.

Oh, and once he's in the room and can see what's going on, it'll be time to Inspire Courage

 

[Jarval]

"Gods' curses!" Brioc runs over to the entrance of the room, and quickly begins to invoke a spell, calling forth a black cloud of bats centered on the two women.


(Casting Summon Swarm (bats), with the 10' square covering the two women (and anyone else I might be able to get in the area ). I don't think they'll attack the snake, as it's cold blooded, but it should do a lot to impede spell casting.)

 

[Thomas Hobbes]

Octar stops for a moment, on the cusp of entering the room, and stares at the younger Wendol. Her body reminded him of the images of Diana or Venus that he had often seen, but her head shared the animalistic features of the Wendol. The contrast, in addition to the woman... thing's nuduity, throws Octar's well-ordered Roman mind for a loop. He advances cautiosly into the room, his shield high, deciding to focus on the decidedly more sane 20-foot snake.

ooc: Move cautiosly into the room (start with a 5-foot-step equivalent, and then move slowly until next to Marcus), and ready an attack against the next enemy to come close.

 

[Manzanita]

Round 1

I'll reroll initiative here. Order: Nathaniel, Marcus, Brioc, Octar, Wendol/Ehldannis(tie), Dhormium

The curtained entrance is about 10 foot wide. Nathaniel and Octar stand there at the beginning of the round. Nathaniel whips out his short bow and fires at the old woman (who seems to be casting spells. The young one looks somewhat confused). His arrow deflects off her armor, but as he starts orating, everyone feels a bit more optomistic, despite their wet, cold, bruised bodies.

Marcus hurls a dagger at the crone, barely striking, thanks to the blessing Dhormium gave that is still in effect. (3 pts dmge)

Octar moves out a step into the room, sheild high, which fails to prevent a sharp pain in his foot (2 pts dmg), despite no visible spikes.

As Octar moves in, Brioc steps through the curtain next to Nathaniel. He begins casting a spell (which will take effect just before your next initiative.)

Elhdannis & Dhormium dash up behind Octar & Nathaniel, but as yet, can't really see into the room.

The snake slithers directly to the south wall, then turns 90 degrees and slithers along the wall towards the party. It reaches Octar, who uses his readies action to slash at it w/his longsword, ripping a bloody gash through its scales below its mouth (9 pts)

Both the women step/run behind the stone pillar, giving them 3/4 cover. The older one is evidently still casting spells, as a ball of fire bubbles forth from her palm and is hurled at Nathaniel, but falls short, sputtering out on the stone floor. The unarmored man stands before the pillar and seems to be casting a spell on his club.

 

[Manzanita]

map

Try this map

Drop this text at http://www.irony.com/java/mmee
*BEGIN 0 0 rs 0
*s -1 3o 5c rs 0 0 3o 5c 3o 3c *s -1 3c 5c rs 0 0 3c 5c 3c 3c *s
@-1 4c 5w rs 0 0 30 4s 4c 5w *s -1 3c 5w rs 0 0 3c 4s 28 5w *s -1
@40 4c rs 0 0 3c 4c 40 3o *s -1 40 40 rs 0 0 40 40 40 20 *s -1 3c
@4c rs 0 0 3c 4c 34 1w 14 c *s -1 4k 30 rs 0 0 3g 30 4k 1w *s -1
@4g 2w rs 0 0 2w 2w 4g 1k *s -1 3m 2t rs 0 0 3o 2w 1g 1c *s 4 4l
@3u rs 0 *s 5 4f 49 rs 0 *s 0 50 4k rs 0 *s 1 68 5h rs 0 *s 3 5w
@55 rs 0 *s 2 51 46 rs 0 *s 6 2l 3b rs 0 *s -3 -3e 9m rs 0 prey *s
@-3 -6v er rs 0 marcus *s -3 7k 7s rs 0 snakes *s -3 7i 93 rs 0 *s
@-3 -72 bg rs 0 brioc *s -3 jf d9 rs 0 ehldannis *s -3 l7 dk rs 0
@dhormium *s -3 7k 9c rs 0 *s -3 -70 e4 rs 0 octar *s -3 jg bb
@rs 0 Nathaniel *s -3 69 d6 rs 0 water *s -1 28 2c rs 0 0 28 2c
@-8 2c *s -1 2k 20 rs 0 0 2k 20 24 0 *s -1 11 1p rs 0 0 -w 2c 1k
@-k *s -1 2c 10 rs 0 0 2c 10 10 -k 4 -k *s b 33 2s rs 0 *s 3 2i
@2i rs 0 *s 3 21 2e 1ab -d *s 9 3g 4d rs 0 *s -3 5c 3j rs 0
@Marcus *s -3 5c 3z rs 0 *s -3 3n 4y rs 0 *s -3 24 4f rs 0
@snake *s -3 3p 50 rs 0 octar *s -3 3l 5q rs 0 *s -3 3q 5b rs 0
@*s -3 5f 47 rs 0 brioc *s -3 67 4j rs 0 nathaniel *s -3 6g 5x rs
@0 dhormium *s -3 6k 4x rs 0 ehldannis
*END dhs3p