Noriaki and Takahaan move warily around the sides of the room, peering up at the columns.
The creature above Castile snarls viciously as it is struck by her axe. It climbs down around the pillar and lunges at her, but comes nowhere near hitting. Noriaki and Takahaan, finally spotting it, charge at it from opposite sides. Noriaki fails to connect, but Takahaan’s blow sends it sprawling.
Another creature climbs down from the second pillar. Its form is hideously distorted, but a belt with a distinctive buckle still hangs about its almost fleshless waist. The belt belonged to Captain Kovack.
Showing no signs of recognition, the second ghoul charges Noriaki and rakes him cruelly with its claws, numbing his flesh.
At the back of the temple, the door opens and another emaciated figure steps in. This one is female, or was once. She carries a twisted staff, and much of her skin is tattooed with symbols of witchcraft. Her gaze comes to rest on Castile, Takahaan, and Hú Lí. The latter senses the pull on her mind early enough to turn away, but Castile and Takahaan suddenly find their minds torn apart by hideous visions that conquer their senses utterly. It seems to last only for a moment, but when they come to again, they are facing off axe to sword, wide-eyed and tense, and it appears that Castile has had the better of the exchange.
[sblock=actions and rolls]Noriaki moves to Q8 and readies to use howling strike on the first enemy to be adjacent or chargeable.
Takahaan moves to Q4 and readies to use flattening charge on the first enemy to come within charging distance.
Ghoul 1 moves down the pillar through O7, ending in N6, and attacks Castile.
Ghoul 1 claws vs AC, Castile; damage
1(1d20) +10 = 11; 4(2d6) +6 = 10 misses hopelessly.
Noriaki and Takahaan both charge ghoul 1 once it reaches the ground.
Noriaki howling strike (+1 charge) vs AC, ghoul 1; damage
3(1d20) +10 +1 = 14; 4(1d12) +8 +11(2d6) = 23 miss.
Takahaan flattening charge vs fort (+1 charge), ghoul 1; damage
11(1d20) +10 +1 = 22; 3(1d10) +7 = 10 hits for 10 and ghoul 1 is knocked prone.
Ghoul 2 claws vs AC (+1 charge), Noriaki; damage
17(1d20) +10 +1 = 28; 4(2d6) +6 = 10 hits for 10 and
Noriaki is immobilized (save ends).
Nylithati opens the door and moves to E5. Standard:
Nylithati unhinging gaze vs Ref, Castile; Takahaan (-2 cover); Hú Lí (-2 cover)
11(1d20) +7 = 18; 18(1d20) +7 -2 = 23; 9(1d20) +7 -2 = 14 hits Castile and Takahaan, misses Hú Lí.
Unhinging gaze damage on Castile
2(1d6) +5 = 7 Castile takes 7 psychic, slides 2 squares (modified to 1 for dwarfiness) and makes a basic attack against Takahaan.
Castile melee basic vs AC, Takahaan; damage
13(1d20) +9 = 22; 3(1d12) +9 = 12 hits for 12 and Castile gains 4 temps.
Unhinging gaze damage on Taka
6(1d6) +5 = 11 Taka takes 11 psychic and makes a basic attack against Castile.
Takahaan melee basic vs AC, Castile; damage
5(1d20) +10 = 15; 9(1d10) +7 = 16 misses.
[MENTION=57009]Dekana[/MENTION] [MENTION=6676736]Pentius[/MENTION] you both need to update the numbers on your sheets for iron armbands of power.
Off-turn stuff
Virtue of cunning: Castile was missed by Takahaan. (And by the ghoul, but she wouldn't have wanted to slide away from it.)
[/sblock]
CAVES OF THE MOTHER: ROUND 2
[sblock=Terrain]
Terrain
The alcoves have piles of bones and other detritus in them (represented by brownish crud). They are difficult terrain. The rest of the floor is normal terrain.
The pillars are blocking terrain but they are round and don’t make hard corners.
[/sblock]
[sblock=PCs’ Off-Turn Actions]Interrupts, Reactions, and so forth are listed here to help me remember them. It would also help me if you specify triggers for these actions. If you don’t, I’ll try to use them in sensible places.
Black Fox
Virtue of Cunning (no action; ally is missed)
Castile
Combat Challenge (interrupt; adjacent marked target shifts or makes an attack that doesn’t include Castile)
Guardian’s Counter (interrupt; ally within 2 is hit by an attack that doesn’t include Castile)
Shield Edge Block (interrupt; adjacent enemy hits or misses Castile with a close or melee attack): used if it will turn a hit into a miss.
Bold Victory Armor (free; Castile or an ally within 5 bloodies an enemy)
Kane
Aegis of Shielding (interrupt; marked enemy hits a target within 10 and the attack doesn’t include Kane)
Channeling Shield (interrupt; an attack hits Kane or an ally within 10): used to prevent a big or bloodying hit.
Dimensional Vortex (interrupt; an enemy within 10 hits an ally with a melee attack): used if Kane can thump a non-minion with it.
White Lotus Riposte (no action; when an enemy Kane hits with an arcane at-will attack him before EoNT, that enemy takes 4 damage of the same type as the at-will dealt)
Noriaki
Shrug it Off (reaction; Noriaki is subjected to a save ends effect)
Takahaan
Guardian’s Counter (interrupt; ally within 2 is hit by an attack that doesn’t include Takahaan)
Vengeance is Mine (reaction; an enemy hits Takahaan)[/sblock]
[sblock=status]
PCs
Castile (N5) HP
45+4/52; surges
7/13; AP used
Hú Lí (T5) HP
37/39; surges
4/8; AP used
Kane (U6) HP
44/44; surges
8/10; AP used
Noriaki (O7) HP
32/45; surges
7/9; AP used, immobilized (save ends)
Takahaan (O5) HP
14/39; surges
6/8; AP used, bloodied
Allies
Fey Beast HP (U5)
22/22
Imidoto (here? there? somewhere else?) HP 1 (minion)
Bad Guys
Ghoul 1 (N6)
26 damage taken; marked by Castile, prone
Ghoul 2 (N8)
Nylithati (E5)
[/sblock]
[sblock=Enemy Stats]Please read the appropriate block(s) only when necessary to resolve attacks or OAs.
[sblock=Ghoul]
Ghoul
AC 21, Fort 17, Ref 19, Will 16; HP 63, bloodied 31

Claws +10 vs. AC, 2d6+6 and the target is immobilized (save ends).[/sblock]
[sblock=Nylithati]
Nylithati
AC 19, Fort 15, Ref 17, Will 16; HP 220, bloodied 110

Staff of Corruption +9 vs. AC, 1d8+5 necrotic damage plus 1d8 poison damage and the target is pushed 2.
[sblock=Immediate Interrupt (when Nylithati is hit by a creature adjacent to her)]Poison Spray: +7 vs Fortitude; if hit, the target is pushed 3 squares, slowed, and takes ongoing 5 poison damage (save ends both).[/sblock][/sblock]
[/sblock]