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Message: <blockquote data-quote="H.M.Gimlord" data-source="post: 5001713" data-attributes="member: 79440">The smoke swirls before Rujah’s eyes as he scrambles over the rubble, Jin’s warning comes just in time.  Rujah ducks as a shadowy form pushes through the smoke nearly taking off his head. The mace-head leaves black and gray vortices in the air as it passes inches from this right ear.  As luck would have it, his duck is in just the right direction to avoid the second mace coming from the other side of the hallway.  The combination of evasive maneuvers causes him to spin in a sort of waltz past the doorway in a wisp of smoke, directly into the path of first mace as it comes around for another blow.  This time, he’s not so lucky.  The mace hits him full on the temple and sends his head into a concussive spin.  “xsio! batobot ouith!” Rujah swears in <a href="http://draconic.twilightrealm.com/" target="_blank">Draconic </a>as pain inserts itself into Rujah’s brain like so many needles.  His eyes dilate obliquely and his vision tunnels as he staggers forward into the room.  It takes all his concentration to focus on what just hit him.       Two men, armed with maces, stand at either side of the entrance to the hallway.  Rujah immediately recognizes one of them as the drake handler.  The other, similar in height and build, has a scar across his face reaching from just beneath his left eye down to the upper part of his throat.       si ornla itov ekess majak him voga ir di nomenes!     Distracted by Rujah’s comically, drunken gate, and motivated by a desire to finish him off, the bandits barely notice Jin following closely behind Rujah.  By the time they ready their weapons, they’re too late.  Maces slice through smoke and Jin escapes danger.  Danger, however, begins to encroach even further on Rujah.  The man with the long knives launches at the dragonborn.  Jin reacts quickly.  With a one-handed slice his katana drags a gash across the man's shoulder causing his attack to stop short in front of Rujah.  Twirling, as if simply continuing the motion, he gets behind the bandit to his right and brings both blades forward.  The distraction of an attack on his friend, however, works against Jin.  Though he manages to help Rujah avoid danger, his concern for his dragonborn companion makes Jin’s attacks on the bandit lose their edge.  Cursing to himself, he swears not to let his emotions get the better of him.  As luck would have it, he has managed to find an advantageous position behind the bandit to his right.     Looking beyond the bandits, Jin sees the smartly-dressed man in an adjoining room.  He’s behind a table, quickly throwing various valuable-looking items into a small chest.  He barely looks up at Jin and Rujah as the melee begins, then quicly resumes his packing.       On the table next to him is the second spiretop drake, hissing in anticipation, crouched as if to strike.     In front of the drake stands a maniacal young man of no more than 25 years.  He’s handsome in many respects, but very rough around the edges.  The roughness, though disappears when one tries to relate it to the skill with which he twirls two unusually long knives into his hands, in readiness for an attack.     Before Jin can warn the others, Fenwick darts out between the bandits, who seem to be too preoccupied with trying to figure out what kind of beast Rujah is.  Imagine their surprise when they see an orc!      Too scared to aim correctly, they nearly hit each other rather than Fenwick.  The drake, being even more gruesome in appearance than the orc, is not as easily disturbed.  Shaking the table as he launches toward Fenwick in vengeful rage, he flies through the air and scrapes a gash in Fenwick’s his armor, piercing through the tough hide and into the muscles on his back.  The attack nearly knocks Fenwicks massive frame to the ground, but he recovers in time to see the drake tear past Rujah into the room ahead of him.  Not bothering to pursue the imp, Fenwick turns his attention to a more proximal foe.  Seeing Jin rounding on the bandit from behind, Fenwick gives him a lecturing look. “It wrong to steal, and wrong to hit when people want talk.”  Fenwick pimpslaps the bandit… with the flat of his executioners axe!  That leave good mark.     [sblock=Mechanics]Bandits OA Rujah <a href="http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2323724/" target="_blank">1d20+4-5</a>;<a href="http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2323726/" target="_blank">1d20+4-5</a>=7;6 Both Miss.    Bandits are marked by Rujah.  When Rujah gets to G23, he triggers a readied action from each bandit.  Bandit 1 uses Dazing Strike <a href="http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2323728/" target="_blank">1d20+4+2(CA,Flanking)=10</a> Miss  Bandit 2 uses on dazing strike on Rujah <a href="http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2323736/" target="_blank">1d20+4+2(CA,Flanking)=23</a> Hit  Damage:  <a href="http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2323738/" target="_blank">1d8+1d6(CA)+1= 10</a> damage and Rujah is dazed until the end of his next turn.  Rujah continues, staggering to G26 where his dazed condition will immediately take effect.  While dazed, Rujah’s mark still works, but he cannot take advantage of his immediate interrupts or reactions.       Jin leaves G22  Bandits OA on Jin: <a href="http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2323746/" target="_blank">1d20+4-5(TC)-2(M);1d20+4-5</a><a href="http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2323746/" target="_blank">(TC)-2(M)</a><a href="http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2323746/" target="_blank">=1;9</a> Both Miss  Jin enters G23  Knife Fighter:  Readied action - Charge nearest legal target (Rujah) when second PC enters G23, Wounding Dagger <a href="http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2323775/" target="_blank">1d20+6+1(Charge)+2(CA)=12</a> Miss  Jin OAs on Knife Fighter: <a href="http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2325217/" target="_blank">1d20+6=24</a>Jin's OA damage: <a href="http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2325218/" target="_blank">1d10+3=5</a><a href="http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2325218/" target="_blank"></a>Jin moves behind the bandit at H23 and misses with a Twin Strike     BTW:  TC = Total Concealment, M=Mark     Fenwick leaves G22  Bandits OA <a href="http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2323751/" target="_blank">1d20+4-5(TC)-2(M);1d20+4-5(TC)-2(M)=0;5</a> Both Miss  Fenwick enters G23  Drake:  Readied Action - Flyby attack on third PC to enter G23:  E23, F23, Bite while flanking Fenwick <a href="http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2323759/" target="_blank">1d20+6+2(CA,Flanking)=22</a> Hit, G24, H25, H26, H27, G28, F29  Damage: <a href="http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2323760/" target="_blank">1d6+4=5</a>  Fenwick attacks with recuperating strike doing 9 damage to Bandit 2, gains 3 THP [/sblock][sblock=OOC]Sorry guys.  Gotta get to work.  I’ll post Riardon, Talon, and Dayna this evening (GMT -5).  I’ll also wait to calculate stats until then.[/sblock][sblock=Map]<img src="http://i571.photobucket.com/albums/ss151/HMGimlord/TheHideoutRound1.jpg?t=1258545731" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" />[/sblock]    Riardon strides confidently behind Fenwick and is barely even noticed by the Bandits.  They attempt to get to him, but Fenwick’s imposing presence, and the distraction of Jin from behind proves to much for their concentration.  Unfortunately, a plume of smoke  follows Riardon as he walks into the room.  When he turns on his heel to complete the ring around the bandit to his right and attack, his head nearly explodes in brilliant colors of pain.  Two sling bullets pound into the back of his head, nearly forcing him to black out.  Blood streaks through his hair and down his right arm, as he tries with all his fortitude to hang onto his consciousness.  His blow misses its mark, but he manages to look over his shoulder and catch a glimpse of a laughing halfling, pumping his fist in a self-congratulating manner just before he ducks behind an overturned table at the back of the room.     By the time Talon and Dayna push through the smoke, everyone is too busy react immediately.  Out of breath from dashing down the stairs and nearly breaking his neck tripping over the rubble of the barricade, Talon swings wide of the bandit to his left, but manages to duck out of his way and get to one side of him with Dayna running past to hem the bandit in and easily avoiding the reactions of the bandit as well as the knife fighter.     [sblock=Map as the ENEMIES BEGIN THEIR TURN]<img src="http://i571.photobucket.com/albums/ss151/HMGimlord/TheHideoutRound15.jpg?t=1258606484" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" />[/sblock][sblock=OOC]And you thought it would be your turn after this?  Oh, come now.  That wouldn’t be fun. *evil laugh*[/sblock]The drake handler smiles as Talon stumbles in, striking thin air with his spear.  The rogue sizes up the shifter with an unwise level of prejudice, as if to communicate a lack of belief that he could be of any threat and turns his attention to the orc who just hit his friend.  His mace comes down on Fenwick’s back, but the angle is too shallow and it bounces off the orc’s rough hide armor.  This luck, however, runs out when the second bandit follows up.  Taking advantage of the distraction provided by his flanking partner, the second bandit lands a blow squarely on the Fenwick’s head, nearly knocking him out…, but not quite.     The invasion turns even more sour as the knife-wielding youth steps forward.  Demonstrating needlessly flamboyant footwork, he bounces back and forth cutting deep into Dayna and following up with a vicious attack on Talon.  “Aaaaaaaaaaaghrrrrrrrrrrh!!!!!” Talon roars in pain as the long knife cuts through his thin leather armor into his chest and runs through, emerging from his back just under the shoulderblade.  Talon collapses and disappears![sblock=P8]Read the spoiler at the end of this post[/sblock]Given these events, and Rujah’s dazed condition, the drake is unable to resist another attack.  He flies in low taking a chunk out of Rujah’s thigh before flying back around a corner and out of sight.     The halfling behind the table emerges once more from behind the table and pelts Jin with a sling bullet from all the way across the room.  With a smug laugh, he darts off down the corridor after the drake.     The man behind the table can now, no longer ignore the invasion.  He shuts the chest on the table and tucks it under his arm.  Dayna growls at the man, insane with rage at the disappearance of her companion, but the man stares calmly into the wolf’s eyes causing her to hesitate.  The man sits down on the chair seemingly secure.  He props his feet confidently on the table and places the chest in his lap.   Bloodied, badly beaten, having lost an ally, and, as it may seem, all hope, the party feels a wave of reassurance and power rush over them as a voice penetrates their battered minds.That was daring. Show me more.   [sblock= Mechanics]Riardon leaves G22  Bandits OA <a href="http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2323762/" target="_blank">1d20+4-5(TC)-2(M);1d20+4-5(TC)-2(M)=15;3</a> Both miss  Riardon enters G23  Halfling Slinger:  Readied action – Attack fourth PC to enter G23 with Stone Rain:  1d20+4+2(CA,Hidden); <a href="http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2323783/" target="_blank">1d20+4+2(CA,Hidden);1d20+4+2(CA,Hidden) =17;26;22</a> 2 Hits <a href="http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2325209/" target="_blank">2d6+12+1d6(CA Damage)=</a><a href="http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2325209/" target="_blank">17</a>   Riardon continues his move to H24 and misses Bandit 2 at H23     Talon leaves G22  Bandits OA <a href="http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2323777/" target="_blank">1d20+4-5(TC)-2(M);1d20+4-5(TC)-2(M)=12;4</a> Miss  Talon continues to G24  HQ on Bandit 1 (F23) and misses Bandit 1 with Circling Strike     Dayna is sixth to F24  Bandits OA Dayna:  <a href="http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2323809/" target="_blank">1d20+4-5(TC)-2(M);1d20+4-5(TC)-2(M)=0;14</a> Both Miss  Knife fighter OAs Dayna:  <a href="http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2325975/" target="_blank">Wounding Dagger 1d20+6+2(CA)=13</a> Miss     ---Beginning of Bad Guy’s Turn---     Bandit 1:  Standard:  Mace  Target:  Fenwick  Attack: <a href="http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2326011/" target="_blank">1d20+4+2(CA,Flanking)=11</a> Miss     Bandit 2  Standard:  Mace  Target:  Fenwick  Attack: Attack: <a href="http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2326014/" target="_blank">1d20+4+2(CA,Flanking)=26</a> Critical   Damage:  1d8+1+1d6 =15     Knife Fighter  Standard:  Dance of the Knife  Target 1:  Dayna  Attack 1: <a href="http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2326043/" target="_blank">1d20+6+2(CA,Flanking)= 18</a> Hit  Damage:  <a href="http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2326044/" target="_blank">1d6+4+1d6(CA)=12</a>  Shift to H25  Target 2:  Talon  Attack 2: <a href="http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2326044/" target="_blank">1d20+6+2(CA,Flanking)= 28</a> Critical  Damage: <a href="http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2326055/" target="_blank">16+1d6=20</a>  Shift back to F25     Drake  Standard: Flyby Attack  Target:  Rujah  G28, G27  Attack: 1d20+6=24 <a href="http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2326063/" target="_blank">1d20+6=24</a> Hit  Damage: <a href="http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2326064/" target="_blank">1d6+4=</a><a href="http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2326064/" target="_blank">5</a>  G28, F29, E30, E31, D31, Out of sight.   Move:  How would you know?     Halfling Slinger  Stone Rain Recharge: <a href="http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2326068/" target="_blank">1d6=2</a> No Stone Rain this turn.  Standard:  <a href="http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2326065/" target="_blank">1d20+6=23</a> Hit  Damage: <a href="http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2326067/" target="_blank">Roll1d6+4 =5</a>  Move:  F30, E31, D31, Out of Sight  Stealth: <a href="http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2326100/" target="_blank">1d20+9=14</a>     Human Noble  Standard:  Urge Hesitation  Target:  Dayna  Attack:  <a href="http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2326073/" target="_blank">1d20+9=21</a> Hit  Effect:  Dayna cannot use a standard action during her next turn. Inexplicably, all encounter powers have been restored to the party.[/sblock][sblock=Jin, Riardon]Passive Perception vs. Stealth:  Out of the corner of your eyes, you notice the halfling dart down the corridor at the far end of the room.  You also notice that he dropped his bag of sling bullets as he was leaving from behind the table.  You’re sure that it’s a safe bet he’ll be back for those.[/sblock][sblock=Status]  Rujah (9): G26 15/34 Bloodied, Dazed HS 12/12 AP 2Jin (9): I23 22/27 HS 6/6 AP 2Riardon (6): H24 16/34 Bloodied HS 8/8 AP 2Fenwick (13): G23 2/31 Bloodied HS 10/11 AP 1Talon (11): Desmoines, IA 1(3)/26 Bloodied HS 6/8 AP 2Dayna (10): F24 6/22 Bloodied HS 1/2 AP Uses Talon'sSpiretop Drake 2 (15): Unknown 20/29Human Bandit 1 (15): H23 18/37 Bloodied Human Bandit 2 (15): F23 26/37Human Noble (15): E23 60/60  Halfling Slinger (15): Unknown 22/22 Human Knife Fighter (15): F25 30/30 [/sblock][sblock=Map]<img src="http://i571.photobucket.com/albums/ss151/HMGimlord/TheHideoutRound2.jpg?t=1258612714" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" />[/sblock][sblock=Enemies]    <a href="http://www.wizards.com/dndinsider/compendium/monster.aspx?id=3010" target="_blank">Human Knife Fighter (custom leveled down; link to original)</a>[sblock=Token]<img src="http://i571.photobucket.com/albums/ss151/HMGimlord/Jin.png?t=1258613037" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" />[/sblock]Perception: +9HP: 30; Bloodied: 15AC: 15; Fort: 13; Ref: 13; Will: 12Speed: 6    <img src="http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/bm.gif"  class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":bmelee:" title="Basic Melee    :bmelee:" data-shortname=":bmelee:" /> Wounding Dagger (at-will; standard) Weapon: +6 vs. AC; 1d6+4 damage (crit 1d6) and ongoing 5 damage (save ends) <img src="http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/m.gif"  class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":melee:" title="Melee    :melee:" data-shortname=":melee:" /> Dance of the Knife (at-will; standard) Weapon: +6 vs. AC; 1d6+4 damage (crit 1d6). Effect: The human knife fighter shifts 2 squares after the attack and makes one more attack against the same target or a different one. The knife fighter then shifts 2 squares.Peerless Tumbler (recharge <img src="http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/5.gif"  class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":5:" title="Five    :5:" data-shortname=":5:" /> <img src="http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/6.gif"  class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":6:" title="Six    :6:" data-shortname=":6:" />; move): The human knife fighter shifts 4 squares, ignoring difficult terrain.Combat Advantage: A human knife fighter deals 1d6 extra damage against any target granting combat advantage to it.Stealth +7     Halfling Slinger[sblock=Token]<img src="http://i571.photobucket.com/albums/ss151/HMGimlord/Halfling_Male.png?t=1258217623" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" />[/sblock]<img src="http://i571.photobucket.com/albums/ss151/HMGimlord/HalflingSlinger.jpg?t=1258613293" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" />Stealth +9[/sblock][sblock=Talon and only Talon]The world goes completely black but only until his eyes adjust. At first he thinks he’s dead, but it becomes apparent to him that if he were, he would be in far less pain. His regenerative nature has already begun to knit his wound back together, healing from the inside out, though he is still extremely weak. The area around him is not completely dark, but it in the seconds of blindness he quickly realizes that he’s on a boat. The sound of rushing water and the rocking tips him off to that, and the smell of sewage and brackish waste water tells him that he can’t be far from where he was only moments before.   Dispite his wounds, he can’t resist the urge to look around and find out where in the world (if it actually is in the world) he is.[sblock=Map]<img src="http://i571.photobucket.com/albums/ss151/HMGimlord/Theboat.jpg?t=1258609031" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" />[/sblock][sblock=Solo Skill Challenge]Complexity 1 3 successes before 1 failure.     Primary Skills: Perception, Nature, Dungeoneering.  DC 12 for all of them.     You may use each of these skills once. Other skills can be used to provide bonuses to these checks, but they will not count to your successes.   Pass or Fail, you’ll get out of here.  The challenge just determines how.   We can do this the quick way or the long way. Your choice. I’ve already broken a cardinal rule of DMing: “Don’t split the party,” but it was for your own good. You wouldn’t have survived another round with only 1hp. Plus, you stand to learn something that could help the party.   The long way:  Normal   The quick way: Don’t narrate your search intent. Go to IC and roll 3 checks in succession labeling each in your comments with the relevant skill, and I will narrate the results. Hopefully this will get you back together with the party.   Until you join the party, please post all responses in a spoiler titled, “OOC, HM Only!”   Feel free to watch your friends in the battle, but remember to play Talon in character when you are reunited.   Good Luck![/sblock][/sblock]</blockquote>

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