The Fey, the Far, and the Ugly Space In Between

[Binks]

Before I leave the common house, I put Sadia down once I've gotten over to Three Bird's wife and the children. I smile warmly at Sadia and say "you can play. They can speak your tongue well enough."

I tell Three Bird's wife to look after her. If things go poorly at the wall, make sure she takes Sadia and leaves immediately through the eastern gates. There is another fortified steading a few days from here. I will purchase a wagon and the services of a wagoneer. They will be housed at the stable at the east wall. If the tide turns, get the children there immediately and set out.

A wagon is 20 g. I'm sure a driver isn't much. I've got well more than that to cover the costs after my magic items eat into my wealth budget. Whether that is in favors or hard currency stashed somewhere in Giliad's Rest, I'll leave up to you.

Before I set out, I'll tell Sadia what the plan is. "Do not be afraid, as you won't have to use it. However, if you do, have faith in the people I have placed you with. They have earned my trust. And promise me you will see to the frightened children who are younger than you."

---

Once my dire wolves are well fed, I'll join Otthor at the wall and tell him the good news. "We have a handful of stout warriors from the Coldlands who will fight at our side. Take heart my friend! It seems this world's Goddess of Luck, Avandra, sponsors our quest."

I observe as he does his examination of the battlements. I know so much about the wilds, the flora, the fauna, the peoples of this place. But Otthor's intellect has never failed to astound me in the time we've been together. I can spot a rotted tree true enough. But to understand how a defensible wall's load-bearing properties are compromised and how to fix it? Amazing.

Once the work is done, I agree with him on both points. He and I should fight at the location where the walls are weakest. Also, we both should get our rest and risk no more work before the battle. I'll accompany him back to the common house. Our presence there should strengthen the resolve of the people therein.

Once we get our rest, I'll say my goodbyes and bring the dire wolves and Coldland warriors to the wall where we will repel this siege!

 

[Manbearcat]

Mass combat. Its a wonderful thing. Its a wonderful thing by way of the 4e ruleset. However, it is not so wonderful as a play by post venture (likely by any ruleset but especially by the 4e ruleset!). Consequently, "The Battle for Giliad's Rest" is taking place in the real world (well...the resolution of it is at least). I'll update things generally but I'm not going to be doing a blow by blow of it (action by action, turn by turn, round by round). I'll recap things abstractly as they progress. To date, it is pretty deep into things and there is quite a bit of carnage. Things are very much in doubt.

Here is a GM-side peak of the machinery at work here.

BAD GUYS - see attached

STONE GIANT VOID WHISPERRS * 6 = 16800 xp

UNSTABLE MASS * 16 = 44800 xp

ABERRANT FLINGERS * 57 = 39900 xp

ADVANCED FOULSPAWN * 6 = 16800 xp

MORPHED INFERNAL BASILISKS = 16000 xp

TOTAL = 134300 xp

vs

GOOD GUYS - see attached

SAERE + OTHORR + THREE BIRD = 9600 xp

DIRE WOLVES + COLDLAND BARBARIANS *10 = 8000 xp

GILIAD'S REST ARCHERS = 20750 xp

GILIAD'S RESET MAN-AT-ARMS * 9 = 28800 xp

TOTAL = 67150 xp

Obviousyly the xp value of the bad guys was double that of the good guys, putting the encounter budget here at a fairly ridiculous level + 21 (extra of-level standard creatures). However, the defenders have several significant advantages that help mitigate the overwhelming odds:

1 - The setup of the 20 ft walls (granting archers Cover and requiring Medium DC Athletics to climb) and the difficult-terrain-laden (about 50 % of squares) killbox between the inner and outer walls.

2 - Epic PCs with full daily resources + the ability to refresh encounter resources and spend 2 surges twice (when transiting encounter zones with the Reinforcements! utility power).

Reinforcements!
Encounter (Special) - Martial (or other applicable)
Move Action - Self
Prerequisite: The target must be in a northern or southern boundary square of one of the encounter zones.
Effect: The target makes an Athletics check (or another appropriate check if applicable). If the check passes the High DC, the target is out of combat for only one round, arriving at a boundary square of the intended adjacent encounter zone in the round following the next. If the check fails the High DC but passes the Medium, the target is out of combat for two rounds. If the target only passes the Easy DC, the target is out of the combat for three rounds. The target refreshes all encounter powers and can spend 1 or 2 healing surges.
Special: You can use this power twice per mass combat.

3 - The Giliad's Rest Archers (Solo) pretty much serves as a high caliber machine gun that constantly strafes the battlefield (see Blot Out the Sun - modeled off Beholder Eye Tyrant's "Random Eye Ray" w/ Minions getting a saving throw for balance in this particular encounter). Regarding the GRA:

Each archer has 41 HPs (basically two-hit minions). 20 archers total. 7 in one zone, 7 in another, 6 in a final one. The entirety of the Solo acts on the same initiative for all 3 combats and shares one suite of actions, channelable through any one of the archers. The Solo is "bloodied" when it looses its 10th archer.

4 - Nodes of Primal Earth Fantastic Terrain on the battlefield augmenting healing surges spent in those squares with + 2d6 HPs returned.

---

The three encounter zones are (a) the SW zone with the section of the exterior wall that is compromised (Standard Action - Medium Athletics to break those squares of wall instead of Hard and 40 HP with no resistance vs 80 w/ 5 resist all), (b) the W zone with the gate, (c) the NW zone where the wilderness outside of the exterior is fraught with frozen ice hazards and hindering terrain (Effect: A creature that enters a square of barbweed takes 9 damage and a -2 penalty to defenses [save ends]).

The players set up the defense of the zones as follows:

a) Saerie (Rawr + Lucky), Dire Wolf Pack (5 Minions), Otthor, 6 of the Giliad's Rest Archers archers.

b) 6 Giliad's Rest Man-At-Arms, 7 of the Giliad's Rest Archers archers.

c) Three Bird, Coldland Barbarians (5 Minions), 3 Giliad's Rest Man-At-Arms, 7 of the Giliad's Rest Archers archers.

---

I'll update with what has transpired in a later post.

 

[Manbearcat]

Alright, lets get this party started with the updates (going to be incremental), starting with Saerie and Otthor...

---

Zone A

Saerie and Otthor sit on the cold frozen ground, their backs supported by the huge timbers of the exterior wall of Giliad's Rest. Otthor's perfect elven blade lays across his lap as his gloved hand paws at the ancient Winter Fey runes. He quietly whistles an ancient elven song of battle. Saerie is lost in thought as she watches her wintry exhales, but she picks up in lockstep several notes in. Rawr and Lucky are nearby, curled up together, sharing warmth as they catch a few needed Zs (even dog spirits take naps it seems). The dire wolves paw at the ground and sniff at the frozen air anxiously.

The inevitability of the moment hangs thickly in the air and the sounds of the pacing archers on the ramparts does little to assuage it.

The whistling and the pacing abruptly stop.

From the dense forest it comes. A clatter of enormous proportions. Frozen foliage rustling, bending, breaking. Earth protesting against the enormous weight of a horde. Gibbering. Joint-crackling. Vomitous sounds.

A writhing mass of creatures breaks through the cover of the wood onto the open ground. Dozens of creatures make up its bulk. It is difficult to tell where one ends and another begins due to the alien architecture of their bodies. Acid pours from them in waves, excreted from flesh, expelled from fanged mouths that cover the body. Behind these first unspeakable horrors comes several bipeds that may have once been a part of humanity. Humanity no longer, now disproportionately long appendages, or four arms, or grotesquely morphed heads, or maws square in the middle of torsos predominate.

The sound of arrows rains down from above. The creatures don't slow under the barrage.

Otthor stands, exhales, and steels himself (body and mind) for the battle to come. He, Rawr, Lucky, and the Dire Wolves rush the enemy as Saerie unleashes a deadly volley of her own, each arrow loosed replaced with another before the eye can blink.

Otthor dances into the thick of the fray, luring several enemies into foolish offensives against him. One of the long-appendaged creatures pays with its life and the roiling mass of creatures repeatedly eat steel, lightning and blinding radiance for their foolish efforts.

The Dire Wolves and Rawr tear into the tall, lanky creature with a massive maw on its body that endlessly gibbers its foul insight across the battlefield. Unfortunately, while they maul the creature, most of the wolves succumb when the foulspawn bends the very fabric of space and time around it. The emergence of the entropic hole, and its battlefield fallout, provokes a gasp from the ramparts as the archers pull back their bows in unison for a great volley on the swarm of enemies. The defenders of Giliad's Rest get their first real glimpse of the nature of their enemy and the gravity of these moments.

---

Mechanical stuff

[sblock]The first wave on Encounter Zone 3 consisted of:

12 Aberrant Flingers
3 Unstable Masses
1 Advanced Foulspawn

Otthor deployed Enter the Crucible, popped Bladesong and used a Move Action to trigger 4 OA's against him (3 UMs and one AF), allowing each of them to hit him to trigger his own OA's for Steely Response. He also deploys Strikeback (killing the Aberrant Flinger with his OA and another with the Bladespell from it) during this to double up on the on-turn MBAs (w/ Bladesong augmenting) that will trigger a Bladespell. EtC mitigated much of the direct damage and fully mitigated the ongoing damage from the UMs. It will also mitigate 10 of the 15 aura damage in subsequent rounds. However, of course the UMes are all swarms so all of these single target attacks do half damage to them.

Saerie used Surprising Arrow Stance and went to work with Twin Strike on the Advanced Foulspawn, using her final action to have Rawr charge the Advanced Foulspawn (with several Flingers nearby). Rawr hits which triggers Bend Space Immediate Interrupt (Port 3 squares thus avoiding the hit - recharge 5, 6).

The Dire Wolves stay near each other, stay away from the UMs (which will put them down with the Swarm Aura) and tear into several Flingers and the Advanced Foulspawn.

The Giliad's Rest Archers mow down 1/3 of the remaining Aberrant Flingers.

The Flingers tear into Rawr and down one of the Dire Wolves.

The prone AF (from the assault of the DW pack) eats OAs from the DW pack members around him (Bend Space didn't refresh at the beginning of this turn) to suicide deploy Warp Time and Space. The massive burst slays all of the remaining Dire Wolves but one, kills one Flinger (that would have died in the subsequent round anyway were the DW in front of it still alive), and injures and dazes Rawr. He is nearly Bloodied after this, but well worth it due to the loss of the good guys' DWs.

The Archers use their huge AoE attack w/ stun rider on the swarms, a few flingers, w/ some friendly fire on Otthor. This is a pretty devastating attack on the enemy but Otthor is hit as well (but mitigates 10 of it). However, his Martial Resolve allows him to save against Stunned at the beginning of his next turn, and he passes it.[/sblock]

I'll update more later.

---

Continued...

Saerie shoulders her bow, draws for the crystalline blue stave of the Winter Fey and calls upon the might power of winter. The air around Otthor and the endless mass of unfathomable creatures that surrounds him begins to freeze. Sleet, snow and furious winds bind all to that area. She calls upon the power of nature itself and earthen roots and spirits of the air grasp and hold the aberrations in place while winter pelts them with frozen ice.

Her bow is back in her hands and an endless stream of arrows attack the foulspawn creature who bends time to its will. With Rawr tearing into its rubbery legs and the archeries volleying, the creature finally succumbs.

Otthor is a dervish of magic and steel. He ranges around the swarm of creatures near him like a blur, luring them into foolish attacks as his weapon strikes viper-quick before they can even process what has happened. Several arcane words and gestures and the air erupts with moonlight, glittering motes of radiance searing the aberrations and bulwarking the hearts of Otthor and his allies. Behind the rain of magic is a seemingly endless torrent of bladwork, felling enemies amongst the swarm left and right, blasts of lightning flying across the field to take the life of several aberrations. With every felled enemy, Otthor's teleportation magic leads him into a new advantageous position, reinvigorating his step and refocusing his mind despite the burning of his lungs at the effort.

It all seems to matter little...as still, they came...and endless stream of horrors from the wood...

The horde reaches the walls and batter the compromised section to ultimate ruin. Several archers fall...only wishing death would have taken them quickly. Instead, trapped in the debris, the horde washes over them. They scream in agony as waves of caustic acid slowly take their lives from them in the worst manner imaginable...

Otthor curses and shouts to Saerie to take care of the oncoming enemies. He pursues the horde into the killbox as the remaining few archers on the wall are overcome by the time and space bending magic of the far realm horrors...

---

Mechanical Stuff

[sblock]10 more Aberrant Flingers
3 more Unstable Masses
1 more Advanced Foulspawn

The next few rounds see Action Points expended by the two PCs.

Saerie unloads her AoEs on as many of the Swarms as she can; Nature's Rage (D), Bond's of Life (E), Covenant of Winter Blizard (D). She unloads with Twin Strike and her Surprising Stance Interrupt as Rawr engages the Advanced Foulspawn. The Unstable Mass Swarms become bloodied and split into multiples. The Covenent of Winter Blizzard zone keeps all the enemies away from the wall without having any affect on Otthor (due to cold resist). She works to kill the Foulspawns but they prove troublesome due to port interrupt (and it recharging). The first Foulspawn does, however, succumb to the focuses fire of her, Rawr, and the Archers. However, not before surviving long enough to get a stun attack on the Solo Archers (save ends from Warp Time), costing it its next turn.

Otthor uses his first Daily + an Arcane Strike with it, draws several more OAs, eats them and MBAs as OA. He uses the Bladepells to kill several Aberant Flingers (minions) and trigger Breaching (port 5 and spend HS). Action points for MBAs to hit almost all of the Unstable Masses (after the split of them all) triggering several more Bladepells, several more dead Aberant Flingers. At the end of this, he is at full HPs from the spent surges as a result of Breaching (triggered by all the dead minions). He works to down the original 3 Unstable Masses and is able to do so soon enough.

Unfortunately, the new Unstable Masses make it to the wall despite taking a lot of fire from the Archers. The first one who gets there oblterates the weakened spot with a 34 Athletics check, triggering a collapse of that area and the ramparts affixed to it. On those ramparts, three of the six fall to the earth hard under the collapsed debris. They are killed by a pair of Corrosive Waves. They continue toward the interior wall as Otthor pursues and they take fire from the remaining archers...[/sblock]

Will update more later but I'm going to update the other two encounter zones first to get them up to speed. One of them fairs a little bit better than Otthor and Saerie in the defense of the walls. The other group?...not so much...

 

[Manbearcat]

Zone B (West - the gate)

Arsalan Khosa takes a large contingent of his infantry to protect the gate. He believes that the primary assaulting force will be coming to siege this area. A sensible assumption.

The rest of his brigade he leaves under the command of his most trusted captain and assigns them to the northwest section of the wall to supplement the barbarians. There, the well-honed fighting force should easily repel the stragglers that aren't trampled underfoot of the primary defenders.

The spearmen form up ranks into a sheltron; an impenetrable hedge of multiple ranks. The stand their quietly , basking in the light of the moon...waiting. When the first sound of the aberrant horde, the tip of the spear, Arsalan, breaks the silence among them. With quite poise and confidence he simply says "protect the warrior next to you and skewer the enemy in front of you...we will not be moved from this spot." No cries erupt around him. There is simply a steely determination among the defenders who have survived so long in the harsh, unforgiving wilderness of this world.

The horde of mutates spills out in an incomprehensible mass of of bones and sinew carrying them forward awkwardly, lifeblood pumping through the alien architecture of their bodies. Arrows take down several before battle is joined by the foot soldiers on either side. When it does, it is initially decisive in favor of the defenders but settles into a slow quagmire of gory fates and stacking bodies.

Indeed the defenders of Giliad's Rest do not move. They continuously repel the siege as the archers above on the ramparts rain down an endless deluge of death. Space and time are manipulated by the supernatural among the horde causing the defenders to reel...to bend but never break. Corrosive waves of acid claim lives, but the ranks immediately shore up as the men and women tasked with protecting the citizenry of Giliad's Rest do their job.

Several broken bodies and urgent minutes later, the sound of the horn from the arches on the wall to the NW rings out. Arsalan's sensible assumption turned out wrong...the defenders are being routed by a force beyond their reckoning...

---

Mechanical Stuff

[sblock]27 Aberrant Flingers
7 Unstable Masses
2 Advanced Foulspawn

Those come in a few waves at the good guys.

The Large units of the Giliad's Rest Man-At-Arms blocks a large amount of terrain on the battlefield; a 24 square impenetrable wall. Their great defenses (augmented by their Squad Defense trait), their lack of ability to be force moved as a swarm, and their melee control is extremely stout (as predicted).

A wall of Soldier (Swarms) augmented by the Solo Artillery that they protect proves more than sufficient to the task of defending the walls for a long, long time against an innumerable horde. The recharge AoE attacks of the Unstable Masses and the Advanced Foulspawn does a wee bit of work, but it isn't sufficient to the task of uprooting the defenders.

The walls of Giliad's Rest will likely melt away from the collateral blast-acid attacks of the Caustic Waves (recharge) before the Soldiers do!

Now the bottom group facing all of the mutated Stone Giants, the Solo Infernal Basilisks Mutate and the Advanced Foulspawn leader? Yeah...they aren't quite up to the challenge...I'll update that later.[/sblock]

 

[Manbearcat]

Zone C (NW)

Three Bird stalks around the wilderness perimeter, tight to the wall granting nary an open battlefield to fight on. He carefully picks stalks of barbweed, making sure not to open the classic, gnarly wound on his flesh that the plant is known for. When he has his cache, he casually walks back to the defenders, breaking open one of the barbs so the milky innards spills out onto his hand. He walks a circle around them all, flinging it out on the ground as he does and whispering an ancient druidic plea.

One of the infantryman of Giliad's Rest looks on unnerved and incredulously. Speaking loudly for all to hear, "...what does he do?"

One of the Coldland Barbarians answers flatly. "He anoints the ground before you to signify to the earth spirits that you are his ally. He asks for their blessings upon you for the battle to come. It is an honor upon you."

The skeptical member of the watch can barely hide his disdain as he whispers under his breath, "...I don't need the blessings of a savage..."

Abruptly, one of Three Birds falcons dives to his arm as the screeching cries of the other two fill the air as they circle in wide arcs above. After a moment of it lighting down upon his forearm, he looks up and says loudly enough for the archers on the ramparts to hear.

"THEY COME!"

The sound of bowstrings being pulled taut and the clatter of spears on shields and shuffling feet are barely sufficient to serve as background vocals to the cacophony of the engine of the destruction that wades through the dense foliage. Tremors rattle the earth with each step. Trees threaten to topple until some actually do.

When the massive stone giant abominations reveal themselves, a collective gasp unifies the defenders in shaken morale. When the twisted pair of infernal basilisks (massive, multi-headed, and a dozen or so legs) enters the fray directly behind them, it is all the group can do to not turn and run for their lives.

Nonetheless, when the Coldland Barbarians and the peregrine falcons charge the first giant, the archers atop the wall somehow find their courage and loose a lethal volley of arrows.

The first giant falls under the weight of that initial charge and volley. A second is entangled in the horrible barbweed and falls not long after.

But the tide turns swiftly...and it turns decisively when it does...

Twisted Far Realm magic pervades the frozen wilderness of a battlefield. Psyche-assailing whispers from the void dumbfound the infantry, the barbarians, and the archers on the ramparts. When the monstrosity of the basilisk charges the wall, the fight is truly lost.

The distorted thing is the stuff of nightmares in the most creative of children. Otthor lured the horde to the two huge creatures' lair. They must have survived long enough to be overtaken by the mists, the same as the Stone Giants. Fused together into an entangled mess, the creature obliterates the outer and inner wooden walls with its fiery maw, petrifies the archers with its gaze, rends them to pieces with its claws, finally making a quick meal out of their stoney remains.

Three Bird fights until there is nothing left to do but die bravely. He instructs his falcons to alert his people in the common hall to flee before shapechanging into a wolf and tearing into the lower leg of one of the giants...intent on slowing the behemoth down before the lights in his eyes are dimmed and the spirit world claims him...

---

Mechanical Stuff

[sblock]The opening salvo by the Coldland Barbarians and the Giliad's Rest Archers is enough to slay one of the Stone Giant Void Whisperers outright. They survive long enough, due to their resilience encounter power, to slay another giant before they succumb to the multiple AoEs that the SGVWs and the Advanced Fouldpawns can put out.

The Giliad's Rest Men-At-Arms do a good job of locking down three of the four SGVWs that survive through much of this fight. However, like the Coldland Barbarians, the large amount of AoEs that the SGVWs and AFs can put out are a problem for them (swarm being vuln to AoE) and eventually wear them down despite the healing they receive from Three Bird.

However, they do a good job of surviving long enough and controlling the giants (force moving them into the barbweed for damage and -2 defenses [save ends]) long enough to keep them from unleashing hell on Giliad's Rest for too long. In the end though, the giants and foulspawn's array of dazes and stuns effectively shut down and destroy Giliad's Rest infantry.

The real problem is the Morphed Infernal Basilisks. This thing is a terror for the wall and the archers upon it. A few Archers go down from ranged AoE from the SGVWs and AF. The rest are obliterated by the MIB which (a) has no problem clambering up the wall, (b) has the HPs to survive multiple volleys, (c) prevents them from getting away with Petrifying Gaze (slowed > immobilized > petrified [saved ends or go to next condition on the track] which works with the Stone Giant's Whispers from the Void zone to nerf their STs), (d) and obliterates them with a triple attack * times per round. Worse still, the MIB destroys the wall outright due its bite being Fire damage which the wall is vuln 10 to.

The wall is outright wrecked after the MIB is done with it and the Archers in this zone are all slain.

The Advanced Foulspawn is slain. 1 Bloodied and 3 pretty healthy Stone Giants survive to assault Giliad's Rest. The Morphed Infernal Basilisks Solo has plenty of HPs left when it assaults Giliad's Rest with the Stone Giant Void Whisperers.

In retrospect, the players would have liked to have put their PCs in this zone to face this group and redistributed the GIliad's Rest infantry. A successful scouting mission before things went down would have done the trick![/sblock]

 

[Manbearcat]

It all seems to matter little...as still, they came...and endless stream of horrors from the wood...

The horde reaches the walls and batter the compromised section to ultimate ruin. Several archers fall...only wishing death would have taken them quickly. Instead, trapped in the debris, the horde washes over them. They scream in agony as waves of caustic acid slowly take their lives from them in the worst manner imaginable...

Otthor curses and shouts to Saerie to take care of the oncoming enemies. He pursues the horde into the killbox as the remaining few archers on the wall are overcome by the time and space bending magic of the far realm horrors...

The heavily pocked earth interlaced with thick overgrowth of the killbox serves to keep the abominations within reach of Otthor. When it becomes obvious that he is going to catch up to them, a few incomprehensible clicks and hisses later and two of them peel back while the third continues toward the inner wall. When Otthor and his enemies converge, he becomes insubstantial as a wraith, the magic of the Maiden of the Moon imbuing his form. His enemies attacks easily defeated, he falls into the Bladesong and unleashes a torrent of dazing force magic and a blur of steel. He reaches out and grasps the fleeing creature and pulls it back toward the engaged melee as if there was no distance between them. The battle is furious and mortal, perfect bladework and supernatural speed claiming the lives of dozens of abominations as Otthor refuses to acknowledge the burning acid vomiting forth from the swath of enemies that surround him.

When Saerie's wintry bargain, never-ending volley of arrows and faithful companions finish their work at the outer wall, the companions sprint to reinforce Otthor's effort near the inner wall. They're joined by a pair of archers from the battle at the gate. Saerie acknowledges them both, one of which is Scout Jawari, the heat of their confrontation long diffused given the circumstances. They rush to Otthor and finish the abominations. When they climb the ramparts of the inner wall, they can survey the fight to the far north of them. The twisted basilisks obliterate the inner wall and several giants pour through.

No defenders give pursuit to the interior of Giliad's Rest proper...

Spending no words on the tragedy of what that inevitably means, the group sprints to intercept the invaders before they can slay too many innocents.

---

Mechanical Stuff

[sblock]A generous portion of the killbox areas are difficult terrain. Otthor expends 1 of his Daily Bladesong recharges. This lets him shift, ignoring DT, and cuts the distance between he and the enemies pretty much completely. He uses his Daily Spell Force Volley for a daze + Bladesong-augmented damage + Minor Action Arcane Strike.

The Swarm Attack and Caustic Slam whittles away Otthor's HPs, but Enter the Crucible's Resist 10, Second Wind, his considerable defenses, and Dazzlign Sunray (-2 to hit), keeps him upright until Saerie can come and use Communion (she gains temp and Otthor gets HPs equal to his surge) and Iron Resurgence (trigger his surges).

Most all of the remaining Encounter Powers are used by the players from Moonstride (insubstantial and shift Otthor), Displacement (forces enemy reroll), Guardian's Counter (lets Otthor and ally shift, Otthor takes attack and MBAs in return), Battle Awareness (counterattack on a hit or enemy shifting). Saerie uses her suite of attack interrupts (damage and basically ensuring a missed attack + shift away and damage) and snap shot. Those + Twin Strike + 2 actions by Rawr/round + the zone from Winter's Covenant Blizzard make short work of the minions in the second wave.

The Foulspawn gets a bit of action in with psychic attacks/stunning and augmenting attacks so a few minions get some damage in on Rawr.

The players use the Archer Solo's Move Action to move a pair of the Archers to Zone A to help kill the remaining enemies facing Otthor and Saerie.

They vanquish the enemies a round before the battle in Zone C is decisively lost. We go with the mechanics for the Reinforcements! Encounter Power above, to determine how the intercept goes. However, we use a Group Athletics check at the hard DC to determine how quickly they get there. Saerie is allowed to use her 2 Healing Surges available under Reinforcements! to get 2 of her Dire Wolf minions into the fight rather than spending them on Rawr or herself.

Saerie, Otthor and one of the three of Rawr and the two Arches pass their Athletics checks.[/sblock]

---

The good guys intercept the bad guys right before they storm the common hall where the Coldland refugees and Sadia are planning egress after Three Bird's falcons alert them of the disaster at the wall. I'll put the map up for that final showdown at the OK Corral and detail it, turn by turn, in a follow-up post.

 

[Manbearcat]

FEATURES

1) The struts from the battlements down to the surface can be navigated from the top; Free Action - Acro Medium DC - Slide to adjacent surface square.

2) The frozen river on the town-side of the wall is a 20 ft drop frozen water pit hazard; OA on entering square vs Ref - 1d10 damage and 5 OG cold damage (save ends but no save if you're still in the hazard). Climb out with Ath vs med DC.

3) The large firepit is hindering terrain; DT + 10 OG fire damage (save ends)

4) The burning brazier (top right) can be stunted; CBL2 (C) vs Ref for 15 OG fire damage (save ends)

5) The towering pine trees are frozen over with jagged icicles. They are hindering terrain; DT + if creature starts turn in space then 7 cold damage + slowed (save ends).

6) Buildings can be climbed of course.

7) The stacked stuff in the middle of the main avenue is 10 ft high. It is DT + requires Ath medium DC to climb. Failure means you slide back down to starting square and topple stuff onto you taking 7 and slowing you USoNT.

8) Horses can be stunted with (Nature) for a CBL5 trample attack vs Fort for push + prone + damage.

---

INITIATIVE

Saerie (and her 2 members of her Dire Wolf pack)
Otthor
Morphed Infernal Basilisk
Giliad's Rest Archers
Stone Giant Void-Whisperers (the Bloodied one is SG1)

---

I'll update the round by round blow of the combat later.

 

[Manbearcat]

ROUND 1

All Giliad's Rest Archer's Standard Actions will be spent on the encounter in zone B at the gate so their contribution here will be their aura (Volley at the start of each enemies' turn).

Saerie (Rawr and Lucky)

[sblock]Move Action: Covenant of Winter Gale (E) - CBL3 slide one Dire Wolf, Rawr, and Otthor 3 toward the Stone Giants and fly 3 squares up on the ramparts to the right.

Rawr moves adjacent to SG1.

Lucky moves adjacent to SG1 (grants CA to allies).

Minor Action: Master at Arms (AW) - Sheathe Convenant of Winter and draw bow.

Standard Action: RBA on SG1. +25 vs AC. Rolled 12. Hits.

2d10 + 17 + 5d6 SA. 43 damage.[/sblock]

Dire Wolves

[sblock]Move Action: Move toward SG1.

Standard Action: Charge (Bite - AW) and Bite on SG1. +26 (+1 charge for 1st wolf) vs AC. Rolled 9, 4. 1 hits. 19 damage and prone.[/sblock]

Otthor

[sblock]Minor Action: Bladesong (E).

Move Action: Shift adjacent to SG1, SG2, SG3.

Standard Action: Feral Burst Attack (E). MBA +30 (+2 CA) on SG1, SG2, SG3. Rolled 15, 6, 4. 2d8 + 27 damage. 40 on SG1, 34 - 5 = 29 on SG2, 35 - 5 = 30 on SG4. SG1 is dead.

SG2, SG4 uses Stone Bones (interrupt AW). Resist 5 damage against attack.

No Action: Unseen Hand * 3. 10 force damage and Slide 3 as follows:

SG3: 1 UH. 10 force damage and slide 3 straight into/toward frozen river hazard; + 24 vs Ref. Rolled 19. Hit.

SG3 uses Stone Bones (interrupt AW). Resist 5 damage against attack.

7 - 5 = 2 damage and 5 OG cold damage (save ends but no save if you're still in the hazard). Climb out with Ath vs med DC.

MIBs: 2 UH. 20 force damage and slide 6 straight into/toward the hindering terrain of the huge firepit and the large frozen pine trees. Saving Throw + 5 * 2. Rolled 6 and 14 so passes both. Prone adjacent to the two HTs.

Free Action: Breaching (AW when SG1 dies) teleport 3 squares right adjacent to SG2 and SG3.[/sblock]

Morphed Infernal Basilisks

Volley by GIliad's Rest Archers at start of turn.

[sblock]Prone so + 2 defenses vs ranged attacks.

Volley +27 vs AC. Rolled 7. 34 misses.[/sblock]

[sblock]Move Action: Stand up.

Minor Action: Petrifying Gaze (AW) + 24 vs Fort CBL5 on both DWs, Lucky, and Rawr. Each have Cover due to large pine tree. Rolled 12, 7, 5, 16. DW1 and Rawr slowed (save ends). Misses the rest.

Standard Action: Two Maws Rampage (AW).

Tentacles (Reach 4) * 2 on DW1 and DW2. + 26 vs AC. Rolled 11, 13. Both hit.

Saerie uses Disruptive Strike (interrupt E). +25 vs AC. Rolled 7. Elven Accuracy (E) reroll. Rolled 15. Hits. 1d10 + 17 + 1d6 + 5 (EA). 30 damage and - 8 to triggering attack.

1 Dire Wolf down. The other one fights on due to Saerie's intervention.

Maw (Reach 2) on Rawr. + 26 vs AC. Rolled 12. Hit. 3d10 + 8 fire (23 fire damage) and dazed (save ends). Rawr is grabbed by MIBs.[/sblock]

Stone Giant Void-Whisperers

Volley by GIliad's Rest Archers at start of turn.

[sblock]Volley +27 vs AC on SG2, SG4. No line of effect to SG3 (in hazard). Rolled 17, 8. Both hit. 4d8 + 12. 24 damage on SG2. 23 damage on SG4.[/sblock]

[sblock]SG2

Move Action: Shift 1 away from Otthor.

Otthor uses Battle Awareness (interrupt E). +30 vs Ref. Rolled 6. 2d8 + 27. 36 damage.

SG2 is now Bloodied

Standard Action: Whispers From the Void (R6) AB1 w/in 10 on centered on Otthor. + 25 vs WIll. Rolled 13. Hits. 3d8 + 15 (32) psychic damage and dazed (save ends). Zone UEoE; Enemy starts turn in zone takes - 2 saving throws.

SG3

5 OG cold damage. No saving throw as in hazard.

Move Action: Athletics + 21. Rolled 8. Climbs out of hazard 3 squares.

Move Action: Climbs 1 square to surface and flanks Otthor with SG 4.

SG4

Move Action: Shift 1 away from Otthor.

Standard Action: Void Slam + 25 (+2 CA) vs AC on Otthor. Rolled 10. Misses.[/sblock]

Morphed Infernal Basilisks 2nd turn @ Initiative - 10

[sblock]Minor Action: Petrifying Gaze (AW) + 24 (+2 CA) vs Fort CBL5 on Otthor. Rolled 15. Otthor slowed (save ends).

Standard Action: Two Maws Rampage (AW).

Tentacles (Reach 4) * 2 on DW2. + 26 vs AC. Rolled 1, 13. 2nd one takes DW 2 out.

Maw (Reach 2) on Rawr. + 26 (+2 CA) vs AC. Rolled 20. Crit. 3d10 + 8 fire (38 fire damage). Already dazed (save ends) and already grabbed.

Rawr is now Bloodied and able to be Swallowed.[/sblock]

---

Several laborers urgently prepare horses at the large canvas stables...when suddenly....

The heavy sounds of the aberrant giants' stamping feet on the frozen earth. The rending claws of the basilisk abomination tearing valleys into the tundra as it stalks toward the common house and the sound of panicking civilians. The laborers bit and bridling the horses forget themselves and flee in terror. The horses rear and whinney but do not break loose. The door to the adjacent building, the common house, is open. Several refugees, fully prepped for flight, step out onto the stoop. In shock, they hesitate. The desperate wailing of children can be heard inside the building. The exhausted folks of the highlands, in mental and physical limbo, begin to gather on the patio as the fight begins....

Saerie, Otthor, Rawr, Lucky and the Dire Wolves sprint across the bridge that spans the frozen river as the archers set up to snipe from the ramparts. As her allies continue their rush, Saerie invokes old man winter and demands he hear her plea. The frozen winds of the bitterest of winters carry her aloft to the ramparts above and bulwarks the charge of her allies. As Lucky and Rawr engage a giant injured by prior combat, she replaces her frozen staff with her bow and buries a hail of arrows into the creature.

Otthor becomes a blur, impossibly fast for the Far-Realm-tained giants to follow as his terrible dance of death takes him directly into their midst. He unleashes a flurry of steel on three of them. Perfectly in lockstep with the battle's rhythm, he easily grasps the threads of magic in the world. Force magic throws one giant over the twenty foot precipice down to the frozen river below. Simultaneously, he furrows his brow and grits his teeth as he telekenitically attempts to throw the massive basilisk into the burning fire and the frozen tree. The creature thrashes and struggles, upending itself with the effort...but it stays out of the fire and deadly frozen shards of the tree. One giant slain in the bloodbath, Otthor's Bladesong trance leads him through a void in the world as he teleports to the other side of his enemies, like a pack-hunter preparing a flanking attack with his companions.

The last vestiges of the horde will not give up so easily...

The twisted fusion of the infernal basilisks stands up and delivers a bone shattering roar as it charges back into battle. The tentacles on its back grasp, slap and flail as its fiery maw attempts to make a meal of Saerie's fierce bear companion. Saerie saves one of her wolves with a timely bowshot, but the onslaught is endless. Soon, both of her dire wolves are sent flying wide, unconscious and out of the fight. The crushing weight of the creature's petrifying gaze falls upon Rawr and Otthor and soon their feet feel as though they're stuck in imperceptible quicksand.

In the midst of the bloodshed, Otthor suddenly flashes back to World's End Bluff, to Averandox's glacier and to the battle with the Blood Queen. Deranged whispers and ghastly images from the void assault his senses, causing his mind to reel with vertigo as he attempts to defend himself against the giants' mighty blows. The one he sent into the drink climbs out and looms massively above him, intent on revenge...

 

[Manbearcat]

ROUND 2

All Giliad's Rest Archer's Standard Actions will be spent on the encounter in zone B at the gate so their contribution here will be their aura (Volley at the start of each enemies' turn).

Saerie (Rawr and Lucky)

[sblock]Minor Action: Quarry SG2.

Standard Action: Twin Strike (AW) SG2 +25 vs AC. Rolled 5, 14. 1 hit. 2d10 + 11 + 3d6. 34 damage.

Minor Action: Speed (E) - RBA on SG2. +25 vs AC. Rolled 9. Hits. 2d10 + 17. 27 damage.

End of Turn: Rawr ST vs slowed. Rolled 6. Fails. Rawr is now immobilized (save ends) instead. Another failure and he is petrified![/sblock]

Otthor

[sblock]Martial Resolve - Free saving throw at start of turn vs dazed and slowed. 13 (-2 for zone) vs dazed passes. 9 (-2 for zone) vs slowed fails.

Minor Action: Fire Shield (D).

Standard Action: Lightning Bolt (D) 27 vs Ref on SG2, SG3, SG4. Rolled 7, 10, 12. All hit. 2d6 + 27 lightning damage. 30 on SG2 - dead. 34 - 5 = 29 on SG3. 34 - 5 = 29 on SG4.

SG3, SG4 uses Stone Bones (interrupt AW). Resist 5 damage against attack.

SG4 is Bloodied.

No Action: Breaching (AW when you kill enemy) - teleport 5 sq adjacent to SG4 and MBI and spend HS (31 hp back)

Minor Action: Arcane Strike MBA + 30 vs Ref on SG4. Rolled 4. Hit. 2d8 + 27 damage. 36 damage on SG4.

No Action: Unseen Hand on MIBs. 10 force damage and Slide 3 squares away from Rawr toward huge firepit hindering terrain. Saving Throw + 5. Rolled 11. Prone adjacent to firepit HT. Rawr is now outside of Reach of MBI Bite. Grab on Rawr ends.

Free Action: Bladespell Step: Teleport 4 squares adjacent to MBI, putting himself between Rawr and MBI.

End of Turn: ST vs slowed. 18 passes.[/sblock]

Morphed Infernal Basilisks

Volley by GIliad's Rest Archers at start of turn.

[sblock]Prone so + 2 defenses vs ranged attacks.

Volley +27 vs AC. Rolled 11. 38 hits. 4d8 + 12 (28) damage.[/sblock]

[sblock]Move Action: Stand up.

Minor Action: Petrifying Gaze (AW) + 24 vs Fort CBL5 on Rawr (already affected) and Otthor. Rolled 14. Hits. Otthor slowed (save ends).

Standard Action: Two Maws Rampage (AW).

Tentacles (Reach 4) * 2 on Rawr. + 26 vs AC. Rolled 6, 13. One hits.

Otthor uses Displacement (Immediate Interrupt) to force hit to reroll. Reroll is 8. Misses.

Maw (Reach 2) on Otthor. + 26 vs AC. Rolled 13. Hits. 3d10 + 8 fire (24 - 10 = 14 fire damage) and dazed (save ends). Otthor is grabbed by MIBs.[/sblock]

Stone Giant Void-Whisperers

Volley by GIliad's Rest Archers at start of turn.

[sblock]Volley +27 vs AC on SG3, SG4. Rolled 3, 20. Miss and crit. 4d8 + 12. 44 damage on SG4.[/sblock]

[sblock]SG3

5 OG cold damage.

Standard Action: Whispers From the Void (R6) AB1 w/in 10 on centered on square between Rawr and Otthor, getting both in AoE. + 25 vs WIll. Rolled 13, 10. Hits both. 3d8 + 15 (26) psychic damage and dazed (save ends). Zone UEoE; Enemy starts turn in zone takes - 2 saving throws.

Move Action: 1 sq toward Rawr and Lucky putting them in Reach 2 range.

End of Turn: Saving throw vs OG cold. 15 passes.

SG4

Standard Action: Void Echoes (R5,6) AB1 w/in 10 on centered on square between Rawr and Otthor getting both in AoE. + 25 vs WIll. Rolled 3 and 11. Hits Otthor. 3d8 + 15 (26) psychic damage and 10 OG psychic damage (save ends).

Move Action: 1 sq toward Rawr and Lucky putting them in Reach 2 range.[/sblock]

Morphed Infernal Basilisks 2nd turn @ Initiative - 10

[sblock]Standard Action: Swallow (Grabbed, Bloodied creature) +24 (+2 CA) vs Fort on Otthor. Rolled 10. Hits. Otthor is swallowed. While swallowed, target is restrained and takes 10 damage + 10 acid damage at start of MIBs primary turn. Nothing has LoS or LoE to Otthor. Otthor has no LoS or LoE to anything but MIBs. Can only make melee or close attacks. If Otthor does 50 or more damage between end of his turn and start of his next turn, he is regurgitated into an adjacent square.

No Action: Takes 2d6 + 8 - 5 (resist) fire damage from Otthor's Fire Shield. 10 fire damage total.

Move Action: 2 sq toward Rawr and Lucky putting Rawr in Reach 2 range and Lucky in R4 range.[/sblock]

---

The battle rages on and takes a momentous turn for the worse!

Saerie and the archers on the ramparts endlessly fire arrow, after arrow, after arrow. The hum of bowstrings is a steady tune that permeates the battlefield. The sounds of howling enemies who taste the sting of those arrows serves as the background vocals.

Otthor's deadly dance marries a barrage of lightning, steel, teleportation, and powerful force magic. The giants stone bodies are electrocuted and one of them falls to a torrent of slashes and thrusts. Disappearing and reappearing over and over in a flash of teleportation magic, he finally finishes his dance next to Rawr, coming to the aid of his ursine friend who is facing the full onslaught of the massive, forever-fused, infernal basilisks. He reaches out and grips the mighty enemy with powerful force magic. Violently gesturing wide, Otthor sends the creature's bulk sliding across the frozen ground, forcibly removing Rawr from its massive jaws.

Meanwhile, the psychic onslaught does not cease by the giants. Both Rawr and Otthor are made of the sternest stuff this world has seen...but every mortal has their limits when exposed to the unfathomable mysteries of the Far Realm. Each moment that passes wears down their mental fortitude.

In a final desperate moment, Otthor casts an illusion spell on Otthor, displacing his form in the eyes of the basilisk abomination as its grasping tentacles flail wide. The refugees on the porch of the common house can do nothing but gasp in horror as the massive creature's jaws close on Otthor and the creature throws back its head...sending the elven warrior down its gullet...

 

[Manbearcat]

ROUND 3

All Giliad's Rest Archer's Standard Actions will be spent on the encounter in zone B at the gate so their contribution here will be their aura (Volley at the start of each enemies' turn).

Saerie (Rawr and Lucky)

Delayed for Otthor

Otthor

[sblock]Martial Resolve - Free saving throw at start of turn vs dazed and slowed. 13 vs dazed passes. 6 vs slowed fails. 10 ongoing psychic damage.

Minor Action: Bladesong (D).

No Action: Religion Knowledge check to determine if the Infernal heritage of the basilisk gives it vulnerability to cold. Auto-passes. It does not.

Minor Action: Player proposes to stunt with Prince of Frost's Brand (the magical Winter Fey sword). This encounter power can put out fires or grant saves vs fire effects with a minor action. He wants to amplify the blade's wintry magic and tap into the Infernal heritage of the basilisk and give it vulnerable 5 cold. Sure, that sounds awesome and makes both practical and, more importantly, genre sense. Medium DC Arcana check auto-passes. + 25 vs Fort. Failure and he takes -2 to hit UEoYNT. Rolled 7. Misses. Elven Accuracy (E) reroll. Rolls 18. Hits. MIB has Vulnerable 5 Cold UEoYNT.

Free Action: Change The Prince of Frost's Brand to cold damage.

Standard Action: Second Wind (E). Spend HS (31 HP - no longer bloodied) and MBA + 30 vs Ref. Rolled 9. Hits. 2d8 (9) + 27 (+5 for cold vuln) cold damage. 41 cold damage.

No Action: Dazzling Sunray on MIBs. 10 radiant damage and -2 to hit UEoYNT.

51 total damage. Otthor is regurgitated in a square adjacent to MIBs.

End of Turn: ST vs slowed. 8 fails. Otthor is immobilized. If he fails at EoNT, he is petrified.

ST vs 10 OG psychic damage. 3 fails.[/sblock]

Saerie (Rawr and Lucky)

[sblock]Move Action: Mighty Sprint (E) + 4 Speed (11 total), ignore DT, + 5 Athletics. Saerie climbs down one square of the wall (auto-pass Ath) and drops the last 10 ft (auto-pass Acro) to ground. She rushes across the battlefield to end adjacent to Otthor.

Lucky moves adjacent to SG3.

Minor Action: Communion (E) on Otthor. Saerie loses 1 HS but gains 13 THP. Otthor gains 31 HP.

Standard Action: RBA (AW) SG3 +25 (+2) vs AC. Rolled 20. 2d10 (20) + 11 + 3d6 + 4d8. 57 - 5 = 52 damage.

SG3 uses Stone Bones (interrupt AW). Resist 5 damage against attack.

SG3 is Bloodied.

End of Turn: Rawr ST vs immobilized. Rolled 16. Passes.

ST vs dazed. Rolled 12. Passes.[/sblock]

Morphed Infernal Basilisks

Volley by GIliad's Rest Archers at start of turn.

[sblock]Volley +27 vs AC. Rolled 14. 41 hits. 4d8 + 12 (30) damage.[/sblock]

[sblock]Minor Action: Petrifying Gaze (AW) + 24 vs Fort CBL5 on Saerie, Rawr, and Otthor (already affected). Rolled 1 and 3. Both miss.

Standard Action: Two Maws Rampage (AW).

Tentacles (Reach 4) * 2 on Saerie. + 26 (-2 DS) vs AC. Rolled 9, 18. First misses. Second hits.

1) Otthor uses Guardian's Counter (Immediate Interrupt - E). He becomes target of the attack and then MBAs. Otthor takes 2d8 + 8 (18) damage and is grabbed. Otthor MBA + 30 vs Ref. Rolled 17. Hits. 2d8 (5) + 27 (+5 for cold vuln) cold damage. 37 cold damage.

2) (happens after Otthor first hits MIBs) MIBs uses Tail Smash (immediate reaction - AW) vs Otthor + 24 (-2) vs Ref. Rolled 13. Misses.

3) No Action - (happens after Otthor hit) Fire Shield. MIBs takes 2d6 (10) + 18 - 5 (Resist Fire) fire damage. 23 fire damage.

4) (happens before 1) Otthor OA Steely Retort + 30 (+1 OA) vs Ref. Rolled 4. Hits. 2d8 (10) + 27 (+5 for cold vuln) + 1d6 (OA - 4) cold damage. 46 cold damage.

MIBs is Bloodied.

Maw (Reach 2) on Otthor. + 26 (-2 DS) vs AC. Rolled 8. Misses.[/sblock]

Stone Giant Void-Whisperers

Volley by GIliad's Rest Archers at start of turn.

[sblock]Volley +27 vs AC on SG3, SG4. Rolled 7, 8. Both hit. 4d8 + 12 (28) damage on SG3. Min damage kills SG4. [/sblock]

[sblock]SG3

Whispers from the Void Recharge (6). Rolled 4. No recharge.

Move Action: 1 sq away from Lucky.

Standard Action: Void Echoes (R5,6) AB1 w/in 10 on on Saerie and Otthor getting both in AoE. + 25 vs WIll. Rolled 19 and 1. Hits Saerie. 3d8 + 15 (20) psychic damage. No 10 OG psychic damage (save ends) as she isn't dazed or stunned.[/sblock]

Morphed Infernal Basilisks 2nd turn @ Initiative - 10

[sblock]Standard Action: Two Maws Rampage (AW).

Tentacles (Reach 4) * 2 on Saerie. + 26 (-2 DS) vs AC. Rolled 16. Hits.

Saerie uses Duck and Draw (immediate interrupt - E). Shifts 5 squares away. + 25 vs AC. Rolled 10. Hits. 2d10 + 17 (24) damage. Attack against Saerie fails as she is out of Reach 4 range.

2nd Tentacles (Reach 4) on Otthor instead of Saerie (who is out of range). + 26 (-2 DS) vs AC. Rolled 8. Misses.

Maw (Reach 2) on Otthor. + 26 (-2 DS) vs AC. Rolled 4. Misses.[/sblock]

---

The collective intake of breath when Otthor is swallowed hole by the mammoth, aberrant lizard washes over the battlefield. Grueling tension hangs in the air as it does when a crowd watches a free diver not surface for several minutes.

Suddenly, the creature becomes racked with radiant energy and violently vomits forth the elven warrior and a pool of half-frozen bile. The crowd of refugees, unable to move from their front-row-seats due to being transfixed by horror, terror, and likely awe, erupt in a cheer resembling a scene from a gladiatorial arena.

Arrows continuously pour forth from the archers on the ramparts and one of the remaining Far-Realm-tainted giants wobbles and finally falls dead to the frozen ground. As it does, Saerie grabs the railing, launches herself over it and sprints to Otthor's side like the gale-force winds she commands. She grasps the back of his cloak and jerks him abruptly to his feet. They exchange a joke in elven about "being a layabout" that has no place in a high-pitched battle where the fate of hundreds of innocence is on the line. However, a heavy dose of gallows humor have seen the two through terrible loss and harshness in their decades-long elven lives. When she hears her friend laugh she is sure he is fully recovered from his close encounter with a grisly death.

When he intercepts a tentacle meant to enfold her like a giant anaconda and unleashes a devastating flurry of steel in return, her certitude increases tenfold. The mutant basilisk attempts futilely to maul the two elven heroes over and over but they nimbly dance out of reach and it only gets steel and arrows for its failed attempts.

The last giant unleashes a psychic torrent of Far Realm insanity upon the heroes, but the tide has clearly turned...the awareness that the creature possessed in its former life begins to chisel away at the insanity that the Far Realm mists have inflicted upon it. It welcomes its coming death...