[IC] Wandering Star : Heroes of the Middle Reaches (Part One)

[Sparky]

What are they waiting for? He looks around into the surrounding alley ways and glances at the building. The drakes alternate between savaging his friends and the prayers of healing leap into his mind, the golden ribbon of the prayer's words already flowing freely. This was a prayer he knew, one that he'd performed before. The power flows through him, his knowledge of anatomy and his compassion aggregate into a powerful blessing of restoration.

He turns his attention to the drakes again. Third time's the charm, right? He stabs the spear toward the nearer drake, "The Eye of the Goddess Sees All!"

But apparently I'm blind.

He grits his teeth hopes for the unfolding melee to go smoothly despite his failures to harness the power of his investiture.

[sblock=ooc]Minor: Healing Word on the more injured between Zarathas and Horto
Move: None
Standard: Lance of Faith Attack and Damage - 11 and 9[/sblock]

 

[helium3]

The guard drake in front of Horto is bloodied, but not yet teetering in the brink of death. Unless the fates turn against it in every way, it will have another chance to sink its vicious teeth into his flesh.

The other drake, the one menacing Zarathas, has yet to be touched. Who knows what untold savagery it will yet unleash.

And the hafling thieves, they have yet to reveal themselves to be either weaklings that fall at the merest touch of a blade or titans of battle, girded for treacherous warfare.

And where's that Elf. Has anyone seen that Elf?

[sblock=OOC]Top o' the round folks. Horto's first.

I assume that the action described by Ranver is what happens if nothing major happens between now and his turn?[/sblock]

 

[nerdytenor]

"Blasted thing!" Horto cries, momentarily rattled by the vicious bite on his arm. His battle-smirk is quick to return, however. "Let's see what you think of this!" Horto plunges his sword deep into the scaly flesh of the beast, pulls it out, and buries it in the other beast without turning to face it. "Ha ha!"

[sblock=OOC]
Cleave hits - 8 damage on bloodied drake, 4 damage other drake. I mark the bloodied one. No move (or minor)

[sblock=Mini stat block]
Horto Dandorin
Init +2 Perception: 12 Insight: 12 Normal Vision
AC 18 Fortitude 17 Reflex 14 Will 13
Hit Points: 17 / 32 Bloodied: 16
Temporary Hit Points: 0
Action Points: 1 Second Wind: 1
Healing Surge: 8 Surges per day: 10 / 10
Encounter Powers: Covering Attack
Daily Powers: Villain's Menace
[/sblock]
[/sblock]

 

[helium3]

Wicked grins splitting their dirt smudged faces, the Thieves unleash in a dizzying flurry of acrobatic prowess.

One of the Haflings in the doorway dashes to the northwest, sticking Horto in the ribs on the way. His movements are too quick to allow the Fighter to land a retaliatory blow. He nimbly cartwheels over the railing and falls the ten feet to the ground below. His descent is controlled and when he lands in a crouch, it's clear the fall was intentional and did him no harm. Jumping up, he scurries over to the foot of the stairs, now menacing the stalwart Fighter from the opposite side as before.

Likewise, the other flicks past Zarathas, momentarily flanking him and landing a well placed stab. He is simply too agile an opponent to find an exploitable weakness in the brief moments when he lets his guard down. He moves past the Paladin and steps further to the south, deeper into the shadows.

The third hafling, adjacent to Varilar, also sticks his knife into the Elven Rogue. It's clear that he's having some difficulty seeing his opponent in the shadows, but not enough to matter this time. His slice is followed by a series of nimble back flips that take him out of the reach of all but the Elf's Riposte and back into the room. Sadly, the timing of Varilar's riposte is off by a fraction of a second, barely missing the Hafling as he retreats.

Will Varilar give chase or will he pursue a different strategy?

[sblock=OOC]The haflings all used a power that allows them to move and attack as part of the same standard action. It also prevents them from provoking OA's from their target when they move away.[/sblock]

[sblock=Horto]5 points of damage. The hafling made a skill check to pass through the railing as part of a move and then another skill check to jump down ten feet and negate the damage taken.[/sblock]

[sblock=Zarathas]7 points of damage from the regular attack and the extra from having combat advantage when he flanked you.[/sblock]

[sblock=Varilar]5 points of damage from the attack. His special attack power did not prevent the use of your riposte. After that, it's your turn.[/sblock]

 

[Blackrat]

Z' roars at the halfling passing him and for a split second considers following him, but that would leave Horto in too tight spot. So instead he strikes the Drake and his success reimbuses him with confidence. And another roar bolsters it even more.

[sblock=OOC]Bolstering strike & damage (1d20+6=21, 1d8+4=12)
(IC is making up for my previous minimum damage. This time max )

-Standard action= Bolstering strike. Gain 2 temp HP. I'll mark the drake
-Use AP, Standard action= Second Wind, use Healing Surge
-Move=None
-Minor=None

AC: 19; Fort: 15; Ref: 12
Will: 14; Init: -1; Spd: 5

Hit Points: 19/29 Bloodied: 14
Healing Surge: 9 Per Day: 11/12[/sblock]

 

[Redclaw]

Grimacing in pain, Varilar moves in to assist the others in finishing the drakes. Clearly he would be unable to prevent the halflings from positioning themselves to find weak points in his allies' defenses, but maybe he can help by staying closer. He carefully approaches the the wounded drake and attempts to drive his sword into the creature's flank. Unfortunately, he is so worried about the lizard's jaws that his thrust is utterly ineffective.
[sblock=ooc] Move Action: move to R23
Standard Action: Piercing Strike vs. drake, nat 1 for a miss.
Minor Action: none[/sblock]

 

[helium3]

Our heroes concentrate their attacks on the Guard Drakes. Only Zarathas is able to penetrate the tough and scaly hide of the beasts, wounding one deeply with a strike that nearly sends the creature to its knees. As the sparks from yet another near miss by Ranver are sputtering into oblivion, the cool and soothing tones of his Healing Word suffuses the area.

As the ringing of the Healing Word fades into the ether, the onslaught of the guard drakes is renewed. The drake on Horto delivers another gnashing bite with its cruel teeth. The other's attack against the Paladin fails to find purchase this time.

All eyes are on the wizard now. What will he do?

[sblock=OOC]Horto or Zarathas received that healing word, depending on whoever was more wounded when Ranver had his turn.[/sblock]

[sblock=Horto]11 more damage from the guard drake's bite.[/sblock]

[sblock=Jorje]I took into account the -2 to the guard drake's attack from illusory ambush last round. It is now your turn.[/sblock]

 

[nerdytenor]

[sblock=OOC]
Horto was more wounded, so he gets healing word for 8+10 = 18hp healed.
[/sblock]

 

[Walking Dad]

Jorje continious to draw stuff of the nightmare realm, summoning formless spectral shadows again, this time against the nearest halfling.

[sblock=OOC]
No movement
Illusory Ambush vs R27 (1d20+4=21, 1d6+5=10) -2 on next attack.

[sblock=Mini stat block]
Jorje
Perception: 12 Insight: 17 Normal Vision
AC 16 Fortitude 13 Reflex 15 Will 15
Hit Points: 24 / 24 Bloodied: 12
Temporary Hit Points: 0
Action Points: 1 Second Wind: 1
Healing Surge: 6 Surges per day: 8 / 8
Encounter Powers: Grasping Shadows
Daily Powers: Phantom Chasm

[/sblock][/sblock]

 

[helium3]

The flock of shades breaks away from the guard drake and pours towards the hapless hafling at the foot of the steps up to the porch. He beats at them ineffectually and screams in terror, "Get 'em off! Get 'em OFF!!"

[sblock=Charlotte]Still no elf. Your turn![/sblock]