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EN World - Morrus' D&D / d20 News & Reviews Site - Homebrew - Night's Embrace--Part I: A Touch of Darkness
Homebrew - Night's Embrace--Part I: A Touch of Darkness
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*Sulannus's arrow hits its mark precisely in the right spot, causing the weasel to tremble and nearly lose its grasp, staggered. Though Titus fails to effectively hit the weasel with his pick, Blunt slams into it with his quarterstaff and causes a concussion with a blow to its head, as the weasel's eyes roll up and it disappears in a gout of flame that stinks of brimstone. All of the remaining animals attack Shan, but they cannot get a flanking position. This, combined with Ilmater's supreme mercy for his suffering son combine to bring Beshaba's kiss upon the animals, which miss and nearly fumble in embarrassing ways, providing a laughable excuse for seven attacks which all miss the paladin more-or-less completely, except one that hits his armour harmlessly.*
OOC
Sulannus's Arrow 18 + 5 = 23, Hit!
Weasel takes 9 Damage and is staggered.
Titus's Attack 7 + 3 = 10, Miss.
Blunt's Flurry 20 + 2 = 22, 6 + 2 = 8, Threat and Miss.
Confirm 6 + 2 = 8, Not a Crit.
Weasel takes 5 Damage and is defeated anyways (yay, you avoided Con damage!)
Titus finally registers the arrows when one thumps its way into the flesh of the weasel. Trying to find the source, he misses the leechy animal. Luckily, Blunt finishes the thing off. Smiling to both his monk companion and the newcomer elf, Titus says, "All right, then. Thanks to you both. One vampire weasel down, three beasties to go."
With that, he sets to hacking through the remaining creatures, trying to get to the woman on the other side of them.
OOC
If there's a way clear (avoiding AoO) to check on the woman, Titus will do that. Otherwise, attack the closest creature, flanking if possible.
Blunt nods silently at Titus in acknowledgement and immediately moves on to the next threat.
OOC
5ft step (presume that is needed and hopefully into a flanking position) followed by Flurry of Blows with quarterstaff
+2/+2 1d6+4 (or +4/+4 if flanking)
AC 15
HP 10/10
__________________ DM: The only thing standing between you and the fiendish owl bear in this corridor is the Rogue. Sorceror: I cast Enlarge Person. On the Rogue. To block the corridor. Rogue: What the?!?!?! Hah! I get a Fortitude saving throw..... <rolls>.... <sigh>
Better, came the voice of her eldest brother in Sulannus' mind as the arrow struck home, just under the weasel's forelimb, missing its heart by bare inches. Better. Now the voice was her own. Her hand moved on its own, deftly plucking another shaft from the quiver at her waist and bringing it to the nock of her bow. The seconds seemed to lengthen as she sized up the new tactical situation.
Breathe. Let the moment be what it is. Don't try to force the wrong moment to be right.
Animals and men lunged and feinted and weaved around one another in slow motion. And then, without warning, the right moment. The wolverine was exposed, painfully so, as one of the warriors jerked back to avoid its blows. It might have only lasted for an instant, but it was in that instant that Sulannus let the arrow, straining as it was against the string, fly.
__________________
Check out the Story Hour I'm in!
*Shan starts fearing that the time to save the woman from bleeding to her death is about to run out, and that he himself will not be able to contribute to the combat much longer either. He focuses his faith and most of his remaining strength into a powerful smite against the badger that blocks his way to the woman.*
OOC
Smite evil on the badger. If the gods stand me by just a little longer and it goes down in one strike, move 20 ft towards the woman (accepting AOOs).
__________________
The fact that we live at the bottom of a deep gravity well, on the surface of a gas covered planet going around a nuclear fireball 90 million miles away and think this to be normal is obviously some indication of how skewed our perspective tends to be. - Douglas Adams
*Shan's smite attempt is ended abruptly as he slips and falls partway over on the blood of the vanished wolf, picking himself up again carefully. Sulannus shoots her bow but misses as well. Both Titus and Blunt also miss their mark, the wolverine emerging unscathed.*
*But then, the animals all manage to miss Shan again with their claws and bites. The boar, in particular, fumbles badly with its tusk and has to recover.*
*Meanwhile, one can almost imagine that they hear Beshaba's derisive laughter in the darkness.*
OOC
Shan's Smite 1 + 6 = 7, Possible Fumble.
Fumble Check 2 + 1 = 3, Fumble (and Beshaba has the last laugh or perhaps Invisible Castle does)
Sulannus' Arrow 12 + 1 = 13, Miss (It had soft cover from all sides)
Ms are monsters, W is woman, others are characters by initial
Titus and Blunt can only attack the wolverine, so they do, not flanking.
Titus's Attack 2 + 3 = 5, Miss.
Blunt's Attacks 6 + 2 = 8, 3 + 2 = 5, Also Miss. (What's up with Invisible Castle?)
Wolverine's Attacks 1 + 4 = 5, 5 + 4 = 9, 11 - 1 = 10, All Miss, one possible Fumble.
19 + 2 = 21, Not a Fumble. (There's a good roll--finally [I rolled the fumble check after all the attacks for all of them])
*Coming up somewhat disillusioned in his fighting prowess but grateful that he hadn't payed more dearly for his fumbling, Shan attempts another, more measured attack on the badger.*
OOC
Same action as last turn, only without the smite. Hope this doesn't set a new trend.
Titus swears at his poor swipes, then realizes he's blocking the archer who was previously so helpful.
"We're all packed in here, brother," he says to Blunt. "I'm getting us some room, and hopefully some solid archery."
Taking a more defensive stance, Titus pulls back, behind Blunt and out of the way, calling tauntingly to the creatures, "Come and get me, boys!"
OOC
Hope I'm doing this right: withdraw as a full round action to avoid AoO. I thought I remembered that withdraw had to be straight back, but I can't seem to find that in the description. If Titus can move back and down (leaving a square between him and Blunt) he'll do that. If he has to move straight back, he'll move to just before Sulannus, figuring she can 5' step to take her next shot without the cover penalty.
Flustered now, but determine not to let it show, Sulannus bring another arrow to nock with deliberately precise motions and lets it fly...this time targeting the boar. Easier to see, thus easier to hit.
"Corellon, have favor on your House," she murmurs in elvish as she shoots.
*Sulannus shoots at the boar and misses her mark again.*
*Titus moves out and down to give Sulannus a clear shot next time to the wolverine.*
*Blunt slams into the wolverine twice with his quarterstaff, hard, knocking the wind out of it and hurting it severely. Its eyes flare red as it foams at the mouth with frenzied hatred, turning away from Shan to attack the monk who had hurt it so.*
*As the badger and the boar slash and gore at Shan, the paladin once again dodges and blocks all of their attacks. Blunt, however, is not so lucky, as the frenzied wolverine tears into his chest deeply with one of its sharp claws.*
OOC
Sulannus's Arrow 8 + 1 = 9, Miss Boar still has cover, though the wolverine won't for long.
Titus moves out and down, so now there is no cover blocking a shot to it.
*Shan hestitates for a split second between continuing his attempts to reach the woman and trying to keep the wolverine from tearing into his aider again.*
OOC
Delay. If the wolverine goes down, same action as before. If the other three act without taking it out, attack the wolverine.
Sulannus bites back another annoyed oath and brings another arrow to ready. This was all so much EASIER on the target range, where there was plenty of light, and the targets weren't moving around among people she didn't want to hit. It really wasn't fair to judge an elf's ability to shoot based on these substandard conditions. It was a miracle she'd hit that weasel!
She fires, this time again at the wolverine, since it seems most injured, and possibly most deadly.
Seeing that the wolverine has ignored him to focus its rage on Blunt, Titus swears again. He waits for the elf to get in her cleared shot, then moves in to re-engage, hoping to take it down before it can vent its spleen on Blunt.
OOC
Since Salunnus has a higher initiative, Titus doesn't really have to hold his action, but in any case, assuming she doesn't take down the wolverine with her shot, Titus will close and attack two-handed with the pick again.
*Sulannus shoots again, but the wolverine dodges quickly to the side. Still, Blunt uses that opening to twirl his quarterstaff, knocking the wolverine soundly once again. Titus returns to fill the void, but his pick slashes only empty air. Meanwhile, Shan realises that there isn't going to be an opening just yet, so he makes a powerful slash, opening up the wolverine's belly and exposing some of its innards. Driven purely by hatred, the wolverine continues onward, desperate for the kill, and it slashes open a huge wound in Blunt's side, causing the monk to gasp and clutch the wound, blood pouring freely as he collapses to the ground into darkness.*
*The wolverine, badger, and boar continue their assault on Shan, but none of them manages to scratch the paladin.*
OOC
Sulannus's Arrow 2 + 5 = 7, Miss.
Blunt's Flurry 9 + 2 =11, 12 + 2 = 14, One Hit.
Wolverine takes 6 Damage, total 21.
Titus's Attack 3 + 3 = 6, Miss.
Shan's Attack 11 + 4 = 15, Hit.
Wolverine takes 8 Damage, for a total of 29.
Wolverine's Attack against Blunt 20 + 6 = 26, Threat.
Confirmation 7 + 6 = 13, Not a Crit.
Blunt takes 7 Damage again and is dying at -4.
Wolverine's Attacks against Shan 10 + 6 = 16, 8 + 1 = 9, Both Miss.
*Kelloran climbs and reaches the rooftop, where he looks down into the alley and sees that the fight has progressed considerably. The original man fighting has been joined by an elven archer, another man with a pick, and a third unconscious man with no armour at all. Meanwhile, one bloodied and beaten creature and two others that are uninjured, one of which he recognises as a boar, attack the first man, their assault foiled by his shining armour.*
Blunt is damn lucky that critical wasn't confirmed, otherwise it would be time to roll a new character! I won't post further unless Blunt's situation changes - that is, becomes conscious! Good luck guys. And sod that wolverine rage ability
Anybody conscious in the alleyway (and looking up)
"What the ... ? Company. Now who's who? Well, at least I know that the beasts are attacking the knight." As these thoughts flash through Kelloran's head, he is raising his crossbow and aiming at one of the beasts. Steadying his right hand on his left, and taking a deep breath, then releasing it slightly, he sights along the bolt and fires.
"Now, let's see who does what," he thinks, as he reloads.
[OOC]
Attack the nearest beast, unless he has a flanking opportunity with one of the others, in which case he'll take that shot in preference. attack = 14; damage = 3; sneak attack = 3Rolls here
Hmm, I guess that one missed as well!
[/OOC]
__________________
Impress the locals? Uh - give me a moment!
For what it's worth, ranged attacks can never flank And actually, that last attack would have hit the injured enraged critter, staggering it, if Kel had Precise Shot
Sulannus fires another arrow at the wolvering, hoping that she can at least finish it off. On seeing another projectile clatter on the cobbles, she glances up after the shot to see where it came from.
*Anyone who looks up sees a short thin young man standing on a nearby rooftop, with somewhat spiky-looking black hair, blue eyes, and a pale face, giving him a surprised, vulnerable look. He is holding a crossbow, which he has just fired unsuccessfully at the wolverine.*
*Sulannus takes advantage of the wolverine's distraction with the crossbow shot and the defeat of Blunt to launch a powerful bow shot from point-blank range that hits perfectly right in the creature's eye. It reels back, staggered and bleeding profusely, on the edge of death, but it still refuses to die.*
*Blunt continues to bleed, his lifeblood pouring out onto the cold cobblestones.*
OOC
Sulannus's Shot 12 + 1 = 13, Hit.
Wolverine takes 9 Damage for a total of 38 and is staggered.
Blunt drops down to -5.
Titus's Turn.
Last edited by Rystil Arden : 01-23-06 at 08:32 AM.
Kelloran, human rogue 1, AC 13 (no armour), HP 7/7
Those in the alley
"Oh, rats!" Kel is frustrated by his near miss.
"Ah well, once again ... with feeling!"
Again he fires into the melee.
[OOC]
Kel will try to drop the badly wounded wolverine, unless somebody higher in the initiative order manages to do so before him. If they do, he'll aim at whichever of the two remaining beasts is closer. attack = 21; damage = 4Rolls here
[/OOC]
The world seems to speed up around Titus as he watches Blunt fall. He's been through any number of mock battles, seen blood and broken bones and pain, but always with a healer a call away. Here, it hits him hard in the chest, the only healer he knows of is himself. He knows at a glance Blunt hasn't much time without him.
The elf's arrow strikes true, and Titus sees that the Wolverine is ready to fall. He hesitates just a moment, but at an unconscious groan of pain from his companion, Titus moves.
"Take that horror down! I'll see to Blunt!" he calls out. A slight sidestep to take himself out of claw swipe range, and Titus calls up the knowledge the priests insisted he learn about the human body, looks to stem the flow of lifeblood.
OOC
5' adjust to avoid AoO (preferably to behind Blunt, clearing up Sulannus' line of fire again, but anything out of claw range will work), then Heal +5 to stabilize Blunt
*Horrified at seeing the man -- Blunt? -- go down, and frustrated that he could do nothing to prevent it, Shan struggles to keep his focus on defeating the beasts.*
OOC
Attack the wolverine, or the badger if Kel's before me and takes it out first.
*Titus moves back out of melee range from the creatures and manages to staunch his friend's wound, but Shan slips on all the blood in the alley and falls flat on his back, allowing the wolverine to give the stoic paladin one more enraged gash that is one too many, causing Shan's consciousness to slip away as surely as his footing.*
*Meanwhile, the badger and boar advance over Blunt's body to reach Titus, and though the ranger manages to avoid the badger's claw, the boar's tusk gores him through and drops him to the ground, bleeding and dying, as the three creatures all turn to Sulannus.*
*However, Kelloran fires his crossbow into the wolverine's only good eye, lodging it deep into the creature's brain, as it vanishes in an acrid puff of crimson flame, leaving only the last two to threaten the lone elf.*
Wolverine's Attack 14 + 6 = 20, Hit.
Shan takes 8 Damage and is conscious at -6 thanks to Diehard and my stupidity .
Wolverine takes 1 Damage from attacking while staggered, total 39.
Badger's Attack 6 + 4 = 10, Miss.
Boar's Attack 17 + 4 = 21, Hit.
Titus takes 8 Damage and is knocked out as well.
Kel defeats the Wolverine.
Sulannus's Turn.
Last edited by Rystil Arden : 01-24-06 at 08:36 AM.
Believe me jkason when I say that I appreciate the sentiment in trying to save Blunt, but I would have stuck to my guns and gone for the wolverine (or one of the other animals). However, I didn't dare say anything prior to this as I didn't want to unduly influence Titus' actions. I just hope it all ends well. It's certainly been fun so far.
Abruptly feeling a sinking sensation, Sulannus quickly flicks her gaze around the alley. The boar would charge, she thinks. It's what they do. The badger might too, though in truth she was far more concerned about the boar. The figure above calls out, and she thinks...climb. Yes. Neither boars nor badgers were good at that...
(If she sees a relatively easy place she can try to climb that she can get up by the end of the turn, she'll go for it. Otherwise use the following action
No good, she had to act now! Sulannus releases her arrow at the boar and skitters backwards toward the alley's opening to the street, hoping to give herself time to react to the inevitable charges.
*Sulannus can't find a place she can immediately climb safely, so she fires her shot and skitters backwards. As she predicted, the boar wishes to charge her, but she has managed to outdistance the badger, so it continues to attack the injured Shan, hitting once for minor damage. The boar, however, charges its tormentor with gusto.*
"The girl!" Sulannus shouts to the man above. "Someone's taking her!"
Even as she speaks, she drops her bow and draws the slim little 'archers sword' that she carries at her waist. With a wasp-quick lunge, she jabs it at the boar and readies the small buckler shield strapped to her opposite arm to try to block the counterblow.