The Closed Eye, part II (DM: covaithe, Judge: garyh)

[covaithe]

Round 8

Tander swoons, nearly falling, but some inner light seems to shine from his brow for a moment, and he stands tall again, moving quickly towards Atreus.

Woe's banter falters for a moment, as does his aim, as he seems to fight with inner demons as much as outer ones. He misses, and steps north towards his comrades.

Atreus ducks away again, and heads for the nearby shrubberies, hoping to hide. His efforts, spurred by fear, seem successful, as he disappears into the bushes with scarcely a trembling leaf to betray his position. (even with the -5 penalty for moving more than 2 squares, that stealth check is good; Atreus is hidden.)

Goldtusk doesn't waste any more time chatting. As soon as Woe steps back, he takes advantage of the opening and sprints southward after his comrade, who continues to run as fast as he can carry Arnest's corpse. (both double run southwards. Number 2 is out of sight, with Arnest. Goldtusk is still in sight, 16 squares south of Woe.)

Tander finds himself flanked by flashes of piercing cold again. One of them gets through his defenses. Frigid blood drips from one nostril. The third mote is nowhere to be seen. (motes 1 and 3 flash from T10 and Q8, respectively, One hits Tander for 9 damage and cold vuln.)

[sblock=initiative and status]

Tander hp 8/29 surges 7/8, bloodied, +5 to healing, 3 cold vuln. (save ends) <=== You're up
Woe hp 26/40 surges 7/10
Palindrome hp -12/24 dead
Atreus hp 8/29 surges 3/7, bloodied
Arnest dead
Half orc 1 40 damage, bloodied, carrying Arnest's body. 24 squares south of Woe.
Half orc 2 dead
Goldtusk 10 damage, marked by Woe
specter 1 destroyed
specter 2 dead
specter 3 dead
mote 1 4 damage, invisible, last seen in T10
mote 2 9 damage, invisible
mote 3 13 damage, invisible, last seen in Q8
wraith 1 destroyed
wraith 2 destroyed
wraith 3 destroyed
wraith 4 destroyed
wraith 5 destroyed
wraith 6 destroyed
wraith 7 destroyed
wraith 8 destroyed
wraith 9 destroyed
wraith 10 destroyed
wraith 11 destroyed

Resources used:
Tander: divine glow, beacon of hope, AP, 2xHealing word, turn undead, second wind
Palindrome: grasping shadows, flaming sphere, AP
Atreus: second wind, AP
Woe: Second Wind, AP
[/sblock]

[sblock=map]

[/sblock]

 

[nerdytenor]

Tander continues to close ground with his allies (OOC: Move to W9) as he hunts for his maddeningly-invisible quarry.

Blasted things! he thinks. (OOC: Perception 12 - not gonna help methinks). He blindly sends another blast of divine energy behind him (OOC: Sacred Flame likely misses Ref 13 for 8 divine damage. As an added bonus, Tander failed his save.)

[sblock=Tander Stat Block]
Tander Oaksmith, Human Cleric 2
Passive Perception 15, Passive Insight 20
AC 17, Fort 14, Reflex 15, Will 19
Resist 5 poison
HP 8/29, Bloodied 14, Surge Value 7, Surges 7/8
Speed 5, Initiative +7
Action Points: 0

Current Effects
+5 to healing powers, that is, if there were any left...
Bloodied

Encounter Resources
Spiteful Glamor
USED Divine Glow
USED Healing Word One
USED Healing Word Two
USED Channel Divinity (Turn Undead or Divine Fortune)
USED Second Wind
USED Use Action Point

Daily Resources
USED Beacon of Hope
USED Cure Light Wounds
[/sblock]

 

[Dunamin]

Goldtusk doesn't waste any more time chatting. As soon as Woe steps back, he takes advantage of the opening and sprints southward after his comrade, who continues to run as fast as he can carry Arnest's corpse.

“This isn’t over, Tusky!” Woe shouts after the running half-orc. “I ain’t done with you yet!”

Snarling, he points two fingers to his eyes and then turns them towards Goldtusk in the distance. Somehow it also seems as if Woe’s smiling shield is giving a similar look of disapproval.

“When I come for you, I’m gonna’ make you chomp down on that golden toothpick until it pokes out through the back of your skull!”

An impulse to give chase comes over Woe, but he reins it in upon seeing the sorry state of his friends.

“Get outta’ here, fellas! I’ll cover your backs and get the leftovers.”

The merc heads on back into the fray, closing the distance to Palindrome’s corpse while hopefully presenting himself as a more favourable target to any motes that may be pursuing Tander and Atreus.

[sblock=Actions]Woe uses Inspiring Word on Tander, who regains surge + 2 hp. Then he uses Total Defense and moves north to U7.

(even with the -5 penalty for moving more than 2 squares, that stealth check is good; Atreus is hidden.)

Atreus can actually avoid that penalty in the future by using his Fleeting Ghost power instead of a regular move.

Woe Chinua - Human Fighter 2
Passive Perception 12, Passive Insight 12
AC 22, Fort 21, Reflex 19, Will 16 (Total Defense)
HP 26/40, Bloodied 20, Surge Value 10, Surges 8/11
Speed 5, Initiative +3
Action Points: 0, Second Wind
Powers: Cleave, Crushing Surge, Tide of Iron; Pass Forward; Spear of Myrdroon's Shard;
Steel Serpent Strike; Comeback Strike, Inspiring Word; Spear of Myrdroon's Shard
[/sblock]

 

[KenHood]

[sblock=OOC]

To Kenhood: I am sure we will miss your rp'ing at times . Good luck with your next character! Let's hope he won't roll as many 1's as Palindrome.

But only at times! If I have one regret, it's that your characters didn't kill Palindrome.

I think the dice gods have been appeased with Palindrome's sacrifice. You guys should start getting better rolls, too.

I hope.[/sblock]

 

[Atriden]

Moving silently, Atreus moves closer to Tander, making sure that if he is attacked he can retaliate against those invisible creatures.

[sblock=Actions]
Move Action: Moves to W12, and uses fleeting ghost, rolls a 16 on stealth roll
Standard Action: Readies to use sly flourish (Ranged) against the first thing that attacks Tander ( preferably the weakest opponent). Hits AC 27 and does 20 damage (11 damage without sneak attack). Minor Error, I did actually 21 points of damage or 12 damage without sneak attack, forgot to add the +1 bonus from the magical dagger.
Minor Action: Does nothing
[/sblock]

 

[covaithe]

Round 9

Tander moves south, divine energy glowing in his palms as he looks about.

Woe exhorts Tander, who feels a bit stronger. Woe takes a defensive stance, covering his friends' retreat. (heals 9 hp. I've put you in U8 instead of 7, since that avoids the difficult terrain, and I don't see a meaningful difference between the squares.)

Atreus slinks through the bushes quietly, magic dagger at the ready.

Goldtusk disappears over a ridge to the south, pausing only long enough to make a rude gesture in Woe's general direction, and then he too is gone.

One of the motes flashes into visibility right in the middle of the retreating party. Tander's flare of power goes wide, but Atreus' dagger flies true, and drops of a shiny white liquid fall to the ground, where they smoke and freeze nearby plants. Nonetheless, this flash of cold is among the most bitter of all, as everyone but Woe is hit. Tander catches the blast squarely in the face, nearly freezing. (mote 1 flashes in U10, triggering Atreus' attack, which does 10 damage after insubstantiality. mote 1 is bloodied. The burst hits Tander and Atreus, and Tander eats a crit. Atreus takes 5 cold damage and gain 3 vuln, and Tander takes 12.)

The other two motes flash on either side of Woe. Tander spots one of them at the last second, but it is too late; the mote has lined up the perfect shot. Woe's toughened hide withstands both blasts, but Tander crashes to the ground, frozen solid, no longer breathing. (Tander gets hit twice, including another crit. He takes 5+3 and 9+3 damage, 20 total after vulnerability, which kills him. Woe is missed both times, once due to total defense.)

[sblock=initiative and status]

Tander hp -17/29 surges 6/8, dead
Woe hp 26/40 surges 7/10 <== You're up
Palindrome hp -12/24 dead
Atreus hp 3/29 surges 3/7, bloodied, 3 cold vuln (save ends)
Arnest dead
Half orc 1 40 damage, bloodied, carrying Arnest's body. 24 squares south of Woe.
Half orc 2 dead
Goldtusk 10 damage, marked by Woe
specter 1 destroyed
specter 2 dead
specter 3 dead
mote 1 14 damage, bloodied, invisible, last seen in U10
mote 2 12 damage, bloodied, invisible, last seen in U7
mote 3 13 damage, bloodied, invisible, last seen in U9
wraith 1 destroyed
wraith 2 destroyed
wraith 3 destroyed
wraith 4 destroyed
wraith 5 destroyed
wraith 6 destroyed
wraith 7 destroyed
wraith 8 destroyed
wraith 9 destroyed
wraith 10 destroyed
wraith 11 destroyed

Resources used:
Tander: divine glow, beacon of hope, AP, 2xHealing word, turn undead, second wind
Palindrome: grasping shadows, flaming sphere, AP
Atreus: second wind, AP
Woe: Second Wind, AP, inspiring word
[/sblock]

[sblock=map]

[/sblock]

 

[Dunamin]

Somewhere deep inside Woe, something that has grown progressively more fragile snaps like a twig in a storm. His left hand goes numb with pain and clenches in a death-grip around the shield handle.

“Oh no,” he whispers in disbelief. “Tan-Man?”

“No, no, no. It’s all happening again.”

[sblock=Break(it)down]The two consciences poof into existence at his side. Nice hangs her head in sorrow. Naughty bites her lip.

“We’re sorry, Woe.”

“We can’t stop it now. Not this time.”

The consciences are gone and he’s back on the island, back at the massacre taking place on Dylanthas. His hand is a bloody gory mess and the bodies are piled high enough to block out the sun. Woe stumbles back, tripping over soft flesh.

“Watch where you’re going, punk! Since thanks to you, some of us can’t now!”

Byruck looks up from Woe’s feet in irritation, both of his eyes punctured by arrows that stick out like bizarre eye-stalks.

“Where the hells were you? What happened to looking out for each other?! Why do you even consider your miserable hide worthy among the Skyborns??!!!”

“I’m… I’m sorry…” Woe mumbles. “I couldn’t… I didn’t know what to…”

He turns away, looking for a way out, looking for a way to escape. More mutilated corpses block his path, more people he’s left behind. Some of the villagers try to wiggle out of the mounds of corpses, but most of them just stare at him.

Jaera crawls half-way out and sneers, her head replaced with Palindrome’s.

“So much for covering our backs, you *****.”

Corex pops out nearby, sighing with Tander’s head in place.

“I told you we were getting killed over here. You certainly live up to your name.”

Corex/Tander points an accusing finger at Woe.

“Go on, do what you always do. Run!”[/sblock]

“Run!” Woe shouts. He steps back to Tander’s fallen frame, staring wild-eyed at Atreus.

“RUN!!!”

The warrior puts his spear away and assumes a defensive stance, watching out for and keeping watch over the dead.

[sblock=Actions]Woe uses Total Defense, then moves to X9 and “sheathes” his spear.

Next turn, Woe’ll pick up Tander and follow Atreus out of here. I figure we can catch a short rest and heal up, return to snatch Palindrome’s corpse, and then get back to Daunton to have Tander raised while taking an extended rest. Palindrome’s gear can probably go a long way towards paying for the ritual.

We might also have to think about recruiting at least one new member.

Woe Chinua - Human Fighter 2
Passive Perception 12, Passive Insight 12
AC 22, Fort 21, Reflex 19, Will 16 (Total Defense)
HP 26/40, Bloodied 20, Surge Value 10, Surges 8/11
Speed 5, Initiative +3
Action Points: 0, Second Wind
Powers: Cleave, Crushing Surge, Tide of Iron; Pass Forward; Spear of Myrdroon's Shard;
Steel Serpent Strike; Comeback Strike, Inspiring Word; Spear of Myrdroon's Shard
[/sblock]

 

[KenHood]

[sblock=OOC]Cool! Everyone's going insane!

We might also have to think about recruiting at least one new member.

It just so happens that I know of this gnome. He's a little rough around the edges, but he is a team player.[/sblock]

 

[nerdytenor]

[sblock=Back from the Dead?]
Not sure what I think about bringing Tander back. He's fun mechanically, but he's a bit of a bore from an emotional/roleplay standpoint. His antics with his God are kinda fun, but they don't involve other players, so its a little bit masturbatory...

Plus, now that Palindrome is gone, the need for a straight-man is greatly diminished.

I hear there is a strange (non mutiliated) elf girl who can turn into a wolf coming to town...

[/sblock]
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[covaithe]

ooc: waiting for Atreus.