Midnight: A Lost Faith's Shadow. Book 1, The Awakening. Chapter 4, Pursuit

[Bihlbo]

The miles traveled have changed Mardo. The cart he pulls is lighter, with all of the food having been eaten. He now pulls with practiced skill and a comfortable gait, and he rarely wears his jacket in the heat of the season.

As the heroes approach the field of ash, Mardo fans himself with his hat and seems to remember something. He reaches into a pouch on the cart and pulls out 4 small stones, giving one to Kaela, Valurel, and Herger. "This heat seems unnatural, we may have use for these charms that protect from the heat."

OOC: I hope it's not too late to get that in. And of course, the people given the item need not keep it.

As the creatures erupt from the ground, they howl in agony and horror; cracked, blackened flesh seeps wet liquids clogged with ash while flames rolls over other parts of their bodies. Teeth gnash at the Heroes flesh as the undead try to speak, but they only manage a hideous wheeze through burned lungs and throats.

Under his breath, Mardo lets out a curse, "Bogrot!" and darts under the cart. "Kaela, get down here, maybe they haven't seen us yet! We can help from a distance!" As he says this, Mardo pops loose the tie holding his sling to his chest and reaches into his belt pouch for some ammunition.

OOC: Should be able to fire off a shot next round. He makes a Hide check at +10, and a Move Silently check to not be heard at +6.

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

Lodric turns from the horse carcass. "There are times I wonder if I might be able to live under the yoke of the Shadow, if I at least knew the dead WOULD JUST STAY DEAD!" His fist then strikes at the nearest fell.

ooc: unarmed attack +7 1d6+3 damage

 

[maddmic]

Herger was silent during much of the journey as he had been since the group lost Aislinn. Was he lost in thought, still beating himself up over the loss of the girl, had he lost hope, or was he just simply tired? The group would never know. He spoke when spoken to, or when his opinion was needed. Beyond that though, the giant kept to himself the longer they went without any sign of their quarry.

He had thought that his homeland was disturbing and without life, he was right of course, but he had never experienced any thing like what laid before the group now. The terrain was dead. Not just lifeless, but dead. And something else. He couldn't place it, but something seemed odd about the area, more odd than what was seen by the naked eye. He was stunned by the small ones generosity and accepted the gift. He was careful though to watch the others and let them use the charm should they need it more than he.

Valurel pointed out the horse and Herger seemed to be pulled back to the present. He was visibly more alert to his surroundings, scanning the area for any sign of what they tracked. He searched for any other signs that might let them know the direction, or whereabouts of Aislinn and her captors while the others poured over their findings. He was not as shocked as he might have once been to see the ground begin to move and the hands reach up and out of the smoldering ashes. Wasting no time, he swung his massive axe in the direction of their attackers. "We must make for the tree line if these beast continue to come from the ground. We cannot hope to fight them off if they continue to emerge from below. We should fight these and make our way west!"

OOC:
Greataxe +10 (3d6 + 8, x3) (+4 BAB, +4 St, +1 WF, +1 Dorn melee 2handed, +2 dmg (weapon specialization))

Basically what Hergers is suggesting is that the party kind of fight what is before them while making their way west. I guess that would be fighting defensively, but not with the bonuses or negatives. I hope I can get my point across, pbems can be difficult at times to convey thoughts.

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

Lodric's hands and feet keep moving as they block and strike at the charred fell as he replies to Herger,"While what you makes some sense, I fear that if we cannot destroy all of these first, before moving West towards the forest, we may find ourselves surrounded. More fell, or other enemies ahead to the West, while these attack or pursue us from behind. With a quick glance over towards Mardo, he continues,"And not all of us are blessed with the long legs you have to keep ahead of any pursuit."

ooc: I assume you are talking about a measured move to the west while fighting these attackers, but I worry we'll end up flanked if there are more that will pop up as we go that way. I assume more won't pop up behind us, where we have already passed, so we have a path for retreat, if it is needed. If we go forward, we may have no direction in which to retreat.

 

[maddmic]

ooc: I assume you are talking about a measured move to the west while fighting these attackers, but I worry we'll end up flanked if there are more that will pop up as we go that way. I assume more won't pop up behind us, where we have already passed, so we have a path for retreat, if it is needed. If we go forward, we may have no direction in which to retreat.

OOC:
See what I mean? I completely botched that.

IC:
Herger nods as they continue to swing at their adversaries. "I wouldn't have it any other way. We must vanquish these walking dead first!"

 

[Bobitron]

Kaela largely matched Herger's quiet nature as the heroes followed what meager trail they could find. She avoided the Sarcosan, her eyes betraying her guilt at their decision. Curse the Shadow, she thought. Only in times like these must a person with a good heart make such decisions. Everytime she looked at the woman's exotic features, she recalled her grief and that single lonely tear.

When they reach the dead horse, a flame of hope lights in her heart, but the bouyant feeling is quickly replaced with fear as the Fell rise. Letting the warriors confront the creatures head-on, she takes Mardo's advice and crouches below the cart, her hands and mouth already forming the delicate but deliberate motions to call forth her sorcery. A torrent of sticky webs flies from her hands, engulfing the walking dead.

ooc: Cast Web, obviously.

"Mardo! The webs will burn with fierce heat! If the strong ones cannot defeat them, we can set alight the Fell that are entangled!"

 

[Hrothgar]

OOC: Thanks, Bilhbo. I assumed the charms had been used, but I was going to call for rolls if you didn't mention using them. OK, I just rolled randomly (except for Herger, whose post said he had a stone charm at the time of the attack: Kaela, Lodric, Mardo, and Herger.

The searing heat of the ravished land erupts with the Fell, blasting the Heroes with incredible force. Starhl wastes little time, smashing his sword down on one of the Fell struggling to free itself from hot ash. Its skull shatters into brilliant flaming shards as its body slips back beneath the earth. Herger's heavy axe cleaves a Fell in twain, its upper torso tossed tens of feet across the ashy plain. Its screams of rage and pain are almost comical as it pulls itself in a wild panicked surge back toward the Heroes to fall short, finally subduing to Herger's devastating attack. Even Mardo's deadly sling cracks the skull of a rising Fell, slowing it temporarily. Same old Fell. If anything, the Shadow's minions were predictable. The outcome of this battle was already decided. Or was it?

It was Valurel that discovers that these Fell were not what they seemed. Ripping the skull from an emerging Fell, the Ghost's sleeves immediately erupt in flames as his hands blister and crack from the heat. Gasping in pain, Valurel staggers back trying to extinguish the flames on his arms.
OOC: I need a Reflex save for Valurel to see if he can extinguish the flames. Valurel takes five points of fire damage.

Lodric's powerful punch puts his fist and arm in the rib cage of an attacking Fell, the creature scratching at his chest and neck. Lodric gasps as searing pain runs up his arm from the Fell's heat. Only the stone protects the Erenlander from certain immolation.

Nearby, Cyz screams in fear as her dress catches in fire, the result of her powerful kick smashing the rib cage of an emerging Fell.

Panic rising, Kaela weaves Aryth's magic into a physical restraint, an elastic web of sticky stands that cover the horse and emerging Fell. The web immediately ignites, burning Fell and horse. To the Heroes horror, out of the conflagration stalk the Fell, their bodies wreathed in flame. Oblivious to the heat, the Fell stumble forward, arms outstretched. Nearby, other parts of the ashen plain erupt as more Fell crawl forth, summoned by the hoarse, agonized cries of their brethren. One thing was obvious, these Fell were nothing like what the Heroes had already faced.

OOC: OK, the surprise round is over. Of the original twelve Fell, three are downed by Starhl, Herger, and Valurel. Mardo, Lodric, and Cyz have damaged another three. Do the Heroes still wish to stay and fight? Round one begins once I get Hero actions.

 

[Krug]

"Slay them! Slay all of them!" shouts Starhl. Months of frustration and rage well up in him, and he continues to hack away, cleaving at the rising creatures.


Atk: +10 Greatsword +1 (Bjorn's Faith) +10 2d6+7 19-20/x2

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

Lodric, glad of the protection from the charm Mardo gave him strikes again at the fell before him. ooc: unarmed attack +7 1d6+3 damage He then calls to Valurel, "Take my charm! I can strike at them without touching them."

ooc: Assuming Lodric hits and is able to drop the fell he is fighting, after he does so he will try to move to Valurel's side to pass him his charm of protection. If the fell is still standing, I will execute this move (hopefully) next round.

 

[Bihlbo]

Mardo gasps as the summoned webs suddenly combust, shooting a blast of scorching air back toward the two under the cart. Raspy, he manages to choke out, "If you have a web of ice, I think it might hold off these flame-fleshed Fell better than more fuel for our fiery foes!"

Mardo takes another look at the battle and selects his target carefully. As he spins the leather strap, he says to Kaela, "If you have some water, it looks like we'll need... it" He looses the stone and immediately reaches toward the top of the cart.

OOC: Mardo is "carefully selecting" a target. First off, he will eliminate the fell that are directly involved in melee combat (the ones that would impose a -4 to hit), and then he's looking for fell that are about to attack someone who looks more vulnerable than others (like the ones bearing down on Cyz or someone who just got hurt). He's especially hoping, however, to not draw his target's attention too much with the attack. He'll go for an already-hurt Fell if he thinks it'll kill the thing.

sling +5, 1d3, crit x2, range 50 ft.

You said 12 Fell straight off. Do we see more coming? How many? From which directions?

Next off, Mardo is going to reach onto the cart for the gallon of water. That'll keep him from slinging, so he's also going to pocket the sling and whip out the dagger, but since it's hidden, getting the dagger is another full round. So: Next round Mardo is full defensive, puts away the sling, grabs the water. Round after, Mardo pulls his dagger. In the next round, the fifth round of combat, Mardo is going to use the water on someone who might need it (if that happens) and get ready to help otherwise.