The Romance of the River Kingdoms

[Dr Simon]

The hostage-taker looks agitated, sweating. He presses his hands to his forehead as if in pain.

"Nnnggh.... Can't.....," he groans through gritted teeth.

"Don't listen to them Yago," calls his friend with the lantern. He takes a step towards the group. "You stop talking. Now!"

Yago, the one holding the Vashti, looks around with fear in his eyes, his chest moving hard from panting breath. Suddenly he turns and runs to the end of the ghat, and dives in the river Leng. The Vashti staggers forwards where he has pushed her, then turns to look at where Yago entered the water. She's struggling to says something through the gag.

The remaining thugs pass puzzled looks between each other. The lantern bearer breaks the impasse. With a cry of anger he rushes at forwards, lantern pole raised as a weapon. About half of the other thugs hesitantly move forwards, the rest run away.

[SBLOCK="OOC"]
Intimidate roll for Ape 2+0 = 2
Diplomacy roll for Jar'Thol 13+1=14
Aid Diplomacy roll for Xielt 8-1 =7 (no bonus)
Aid Diplomacy roll for Annika 14 +3 =17 (+2 to Jar'Thol's total)
[/SBLOCK]

OOC:
Almost had them, folks. Initiative rolls for this round:

Xielt 22
Growling Ape 14
Lantern-Thug 13
Three Flowers 11
Annika 10
Jar'Thol 9
Other thugs 7

There's now five of the thugs left. See 'em off!

 

[Blackrat]

"Annika! Help the Vashti or give us more of those feathers!" Three Flowers knew that spellcasters weren't too keen on close combat so maybe she could help with Vashti from afar. At that he draws White Lotus and moves in a fluid slide to strike at the chainwielding thug.

 

[Redclaw]

Xielt steps back, putting himself between the Vashti and the knife-wielding thug. he draws his clawstick as he moves, and holds it loosely, ready to strike if one of the enemy comes close enough to reach. Stay back, my lady Vashti. We will take care of this.
[sblock=ooc] move to F11, drawing claw-stick, ready to attack any of the thugs who approaches. +3 to hit, 1d6+2 damage (additional +1 if he's unarmored). [/sblock]

 

[Shayuri]

Anika gives Three Flowers a dismayed look, then seems to vanish into her ponch. The simple garment crumples to the ground where she'd been a moment ago.

(No spells left...turning into an eagle. )

 

[Walking Dad]

AC 15 (T15, FF13), HP 25/25, F +4,R+2,W+5

Ape uses the last of his magic to strngthen his staff one more time, before moving toward the kinife wielder.
ooc: combine 0 level slots for casting shilleagh. move towards the knife wielder, asuming that he doesn't flee. If he already does, moving to an more 'active' thug.

 

[The Rolling Man]

Jar'Thol, Salsham'ai shaman

Jar'Thol would like to lock their foes in place by invoking the Blossoming Mother but here, in the middle of the city, she is distant. He instead goes to his trusty sling, sending a small lead bullet flying toward the chain wielding thug.

OOC: I'd also like to take a 5-ft step back toward the Vashi. If 'Ch' is in melee at Jar'Thol's turn, he will target someone else.

 

[Dr Simon]

Xielt moves to protect the Vashti, clawstick at the ready.

Ape empowers his quarterstaff and moves to engage with the knife-wielding thug.

The lantern-bearing thug charges towards Jar'Thol, ignoring Annika-eagle in his anger to harm the little salsham'ai. He swings his lantern pole which, although it has the advantage of reach is an awkward weapon to wield. He misjudges and the burning lantern sweeps by a fraction of an inch over Jar'Thol's head.

Three Flowers sweeps his blade around in an elegant arc at the chain-wielding thug but his opponent dodges the blow and counterattacks with a sweep of his chain. Three Flowers blocks with his shield, then pivots and parries the attack of the club-wielding thug who has moved in to flank him. The paladin finds himself between two opponents.

The last thug hefts his club and charges towards Xielt, crying "Here kitty kitty". Xielt is ready for him and rakes his clawstick across the man's shoulder. The answering club attack connects but lacks power. The thug, bleeding profusely, looks like he's regretting the decision.

The Vashti continues to struggle with her bonds.

[SBLOCK="OOC"]
Xielt Clawstick attack 9+3 =12, hit. Damage 1d6+2 = 4.
Ape, cast shillelagh, move.
Lantern-bearer, attack Jar'Thol, miss.
Three Flowers scimitar attack 6+4=10, miss.
Annika transform.
Jar'Thol - ?
Club attack on Xielt, hit, 2 damage.
Knife attack on Ape, miss.
Club and chain attacks on Three Flowers, both miss.

Annika and Jar'Thol - the lantern-bearer moved before your actions. He currently threatens your positions but is using an unwieldy weapon. I have rolled a club attack for Jar'Thol in place of a sling attack due to his altered circumstance and can use that for you, but the lantern-pole gives him reach, you'd be risking an opportunity attack to get past his guard. On the other hand, Annika is adjacent and not at immediate risk of an AoO.
[/SBLOCK]

 

[Walking Dad]

AC 15 (T15, FF13), HP 25/25, F +4,R+2,W+5

Ape attacks the knife wielder with his enchanted staff, swinging it in an arc at the man's torso.
ooc: 1d20+3, 2d6+3 damage

 

[Shayuri]

With a raptor's cry, Annika erupts from the large neck hole of the battered old poncho and beats her wings to launch herself at the lanter-holder's face; talons extended and ripping beak gaping wide!

Attacks:
Claw 1 - 13, damage 3
Claw 2 - 6, damage 2
Bite - 7, damage 3
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1658552/

AC rises to 16 in eagle form. She gains 1 hit point for a total of 23.

 

[The Rolling Man]

Jar'Thol, Salsham'ai shaman

As Jar'Thol was getting ready to use his sling, the sneering lantern bearer attacked him. The nibble shaman was able to avoid the firery attack but that got him scared and he decides to go on the defensive, actively dodging the lantern bearers attacks. After dodging one such attack, he has a idea. He quickly shifts out of range and invokes the butterfly spirits. A luminous sprite jump out of the lantern and heads strait for the thugs' eyes, possibly dazzling him.

OOC: I'm gonna say Jar'Thol used total defense on the last round for simplicity's sake (raising his AC to 20 for one round). This round, he will try to use a 5-foot step to get out of any threaten area and cast a flare (fort DC 14) at the lantern bearer or one of the thugs attacking Three Flowers if the lantern guy is down. Sorry, Jar'Thol isn't much good in a fight.