Savour Every Breath IC

[Cogidubnus]

For your own reasons, you all came to Walfort, a reasonably-sized city. You were all staying in one of the merchant districts, where travellers usually stay. Not too rich, not threateningly poor. During your first night at the Five Legged Stool inn, you were woken by sounds of crashing and screaming. Rushing downstairs with whatever weapons came to hand, you found the innkeeper desperately trying to calm a man who had just run into the tavern. He was shouting about fire and monsters and the end of the world. He begged you to seal the inn and try to hide, and, after gathering the few people stood outside into the building, the innkeeper went about closing all the shutters and dropping the crossbars. He pulled the heavy oak door shut, and slid across both the thick iron bolts. He dropped the heavy wood crossbeam into place. Any protests that you ought to go out and help were stopped by his insistence that it would be suicide, and that the people in the inn needed protecting. He pointed at a young mother and her baby when he said this. Just before you sealed the door, a young girl called Adernye slipped inside, the last to escape the streets into the inn.

You've got to know everyone in the inn now. Marius, the innkeeper, is a retired army sergeant. Ephezial and Sanadar are a pair of elf traders, brothers trying to make their fortune together. The young woman is called Sophia, and her baby Belle. Harold, Aelfred and Olaf are locals who made it in before the inn was shut. They do odd jobs for whoever's hiring, and have always been very poor. The man who ran in and warned you is Lyon, a craftsman from the other side of the city who claims he say his wife and child killed by "demons" in the commotion.

You've kept track of the time, and avoided going totally stir-crazy, by looking through the windows facing onto the courtyard. It's hard to see anything other than the sky and stone walls, but it's a lot better than the lamp-lit in. You know, therefore, that it's about mid-afternoon.

Everyone is sat around in the bar, talking for the most part. Aelfred and Harold are trying to persuade some people to join them in a game of dice. They're betting dead insects, for want of anything of value to gamble. It's been mostly quiet outside for the last two days.

A knock at the door. Timid, intermittent, but audible. And then a voice, a little girl's voice. "Please let me in. I lost my mommy and daddy. I've been hiding for a long time and I'm very hungry. Please help me."

Everyone leaps from their seats. Hushed whispers are shared. "It's a trick-" "How can it be a trick, it's a little girl-" "We can't leave her out there." "We can't let her in here."

Post some response as soon as you want. Feel free to do something rather than just talk if you like.

[Phobia]

Erika Jacobson

"Are each of you doing okay?" Erika asked sweetly, leaning down next to Sophia and her baby. The paladin cooed at the baby in an effort to make it smile, moving her fingers around it which the baby probably grabbed cutely. Erika smiled back at Sophia. "Just let me know if I can do anything for you." She again promised, having checked on the mother and her child quite a bit. The paladin, in full armor, had been walking around the bar for some time checking on the patrons and chatting with those who were talkative.

Some, like Aderyne, weren't so talkative. Erika just assumed they preferred to be left alone with the horror of what was happening, or simply didn't like Paladins. If only she knew what that horror was.

As a little girl's voice reached her from the door Erika's ears perked up. She stood from kneeling next toe Sophia and stepped toward the door ready to open it- before she heard the dissent of some patrons.

"If there is even the slightest chance that's a real little girl out there.." Erika said to the crowd, trying to be strong. It's not like she wasn't afraid. But she couldn't stay that way. "I'll open it.. perhaps the rest of you would like to barricade deeper?" She suggested, placing her shield in front of herself and looking towards the door, unsure.

[Lizard Lord]

Tony Wheeler

Tony decided to take Aelfred and Harold up on their game as it helped him to take his mind off things.

The game was completely forgotten the second the knocking at the was heard. His hand shakes as he reaches for his club. Still, he could not help but agree with the paladin. "Y-You're right. If it isn't a trap, I don't want to be the one to leave a little girl out there."

He turns towards the other survivors inside the inn. "Everyone should head to the cellar and barricade the door, just in case."

Tony then turns to Erika his knuckles turning white as his grips his club as if ti were a lifeline.
"I-I'll stay up here. If it is a trap you might need help." Tony's face is as pale as a ghost as he lets his imagination get the best of him.

[Ajadea]

Aderyne wanted to shrink into the wall and disappear. She felt like crap, between her worry did I do the right thing and guilt why didn't I sneak out to help and fear what's going to happen to us now. Broken thoughts and dark speech whirled through her mind and then broke apart, interrupted by the sound of a child's voice.

She leapt to her feet and headed straight to the door without hearing any of what the others in the room said. It was only when her tiny hand was on the handle that she remembered them. Stupid, stupid, stupid. What happened last time you did something like this? You got your heart or soul or whatever's supposed to be here she felt a sudden pang of hunger and need and want in her core sucked out by a thing. Think! She turns to the people in the room, her expression dead serious. "If you want to get out of the way, you have exactly 30 seconds, then I'm opening this door whether you like it or not. I won't take the chance of leaving a kid out there."

[Ruik]

Eradan Torval (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=274444)

Eradan passed the first couple of days in relative easy silence. Happy to talk to anyone who took the time to approach him, he has not gone out of his way to open up about himself overmuch...


Sitting in a corner of the room, chair tilted back slightly and resting his head on the post with eyes closed, Eradan appears to be sleeping, and does not react immediately at the knock on the door. Only when Erika starts to move towards it does he stand up, grabbing his greatsword from the table next to him, and giving a pointed suggestion.

"Perhaps it would be wise to go upstairs and use the elevation to see whatever is outside, be it little girl or worse?"

He is clearly restless from being pent up inside, despite his suggestion of momentary patience, and gives a wide grin at Aderyne's suggestion. He uses the 30 seconds to draw his blade, throwing the sheath behind him, settling into a fighting stance. He makes no attempt to move anywhere or help crate a barricade.

[Cogidubnus]

The begging starts again from the door. 'Please let me in. Please. Please. I'm so hungry.'

The three locals happily headed straight into the cellar through the door at the back of the bar, followed by Sophia with her baby. The elf brothers considered for a moment, then withdrew just beyond the door, weapons drawn, before closing it at Marius' signal.

'For better or worse, we're doing this,' he says, pulling back the bolts with a grinding sound, the lock cracking open as he turned the key. As he pulls the door back, the sunlight streams in from outside, a welcome sight to your eyes.

Standing just outside is a small, frail-looking girl. The first thing you notice about her is her mass of dark, curly hair, which is knotted with dirt and floats about her head like a cloud of flies. Her clothes look like they were once of good quality, but already they have been reduced to grimy rags. As she looks up at you, you see her face, like her arms and legs, are grey with dirt. The only paler part of her face is where her tears have thinned the dirt. She is still crying now, silently, salt water flowing down her cheeks from a pair of big, hazel eyes.

She is easily led inside when you take her hand, whereupon Marius slams the door, seals it again, and starts piling furniture against it.

'In case we caught anything's attention,' he explains.

[Lizard Lord]

Tony sighed with relief as the girl was brought inside without incident. There was something in the back of his mind.
"Before we let the others know its safe, I just had a thought. I'm sure its nothing, but...well, there are creatures out there, in the world, that can make themselves look like other stuff yea?"

Tony turns to Erika with a still nervous look on his face. "You're a paladin right? Doesn't that mean that you can check for....y'know...." Tony mouths the word evil, as he just doesn't feel right accusing a little girl of such a thing in front of her. Especially one that looks like she has went through hard times.

[Phobia]

Erika Jacobson

Erika gives a wry smile as most of the patrons don't mind going out on a limb for another human being. She's about to open the door herself when the bartender beats her to it- fair enough, it's his Inn. The paladin takes a moment to reattach the shield to her back before stepping up to help the child inside, while Marius re-barricades them inside.

Kneeling next to the girl she begins to check her for any injuries, ready to heal her at a moment's notice. "Are you alright?" She asks, after looking for herself. "What happened out there?" She adds, watching the child's face. The paladin glances over at Tony, offering him a shush expression before silently agreeing.

Detect Evil on the child.
Heal Check: (Is she injured?) [roll0]
Sense Motive Check: [roll1]

[Ruik]

Eradan Torval (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=274444)

Seeing nothing but a scared young girl framed by a halo of sunlight, Eradan seems to deflate a bit, and reverses his blade so he can lean on the hilt shaking his head as he does so. He walks forward as the young girl comes inside, trying to smile and seem non-threatening as he passes her.

Once he makes it to the door, he takes a quick look out before Marius slams it shut. He gives the innkeeper a quizzical look as he starts dragging the furniture but sees the logic as he explains. "Fair enough, I'll give you a hand." He sets his sword aside and starts assist as best he can, while listening into the conversation between Tony and Erika.


Spot check out the door:

[roll0]

[Cogidubnus]

"I dont...I don't...' the girl chokes on her sob. "There were lots of people. Shouting. Mummy and Daddy took me outside. They said we were going to Granny's. Then I couldn't see anything and I was being pushed and...and...' she breathes heavily.

"I was scared. I hid. There was a dark place. I hid in a barrel. There were strange noises and...things moving. I slept, and was hungry, and slept and then I went to look for Mummy and Daddy. Please, could I have some food and a drink?"

[Ajadea]

Aderyne walks up to the small girl and wipes a bit of the dirt off her face. She isn't quite sure what to do, and a hug from a random halfling might not exactly be welcome at the moment. "We're already running low on food and such. I'll see what I can find for you. I'm Aderyne. What's your name?" She says all this rather quickly, and her anxiety is evident in her tone.

[Cogidubnus]

"I've got some bread and a cup of water for you here, girly," says Marius, proffering them.

She takes them, drains the water and starts to tear into the bread with her teeth.

Marius draws Adernye aside and says quietly: "We're already low on food, though we've enough to drink for now. Tell the girl she'll have to make do with that for now if she asks for more."

[Phobia]

Erika Jacobson

"Argh-" Erika chokes out, taking a stumbling step back as she stands up. It burns. The paladin takes a silent moment to compose herself, turning away from the girl and everyone else in the area. She sucks in a hard reservoir of air and looks hard at the door. "What the HELL is out there?" She says in a bare whisper, before leaning against the wall.

After a moment she turns back and smiles sweetly at the girl, giving her a pat on the head as she passes by. "Tony, how about we go tell our companions in the cellar they've got nothing to worry about?" She suggests, shrugging, passing him by and walking down the stairs.

[Lizard Lord]

Tony stood there shocked as Erika stumbled, fearing that it was the little girl that set her off. The paladin's assurance that the girl was safe provided a small relief, but now he is worried more than ever about what might be running lose in the city.

Tony nods towards Erika and heads towards the cellar door. "Hey you lot, its alright to come out of there now. There is a little girl out here that needs to be fed and cleaned up."

[Cogidubnus]

The others file out of the cellar. Harold, Aelfred, Olaf and Lyon stay a fair way back from the girl. Ephezial and Sanadar are less cautious, smiling at her. But as soon as she sees Sophia, carrying her little baby, the girl runs to her, hugging her knees and sobbing into her dress. Sophia, slightly confused, nevertheless responds by wrapping one arm around the girl, holding her gently.

At that moment, a thud comes from the door, like someone being thrown against it. Then the sound starts to come from each of the windows either side of the door, resounding from the external shutters. As you look round, all four windows facing out into the street thud in unison, followed by the two facing the side alley next to the inn.

"We're under attack," hisses Marius, turning and sprinting for the bar. As he goes, he pulls two daggers from his belt, slamming them down into the wood of the bar as he reaches it, before vaulting it, despite the weight of his chainmail, and vanishing behind it. A moment later, he reappears, carrying two heavy clubs which he dumps on the bar, before reaching back beneath it and clapping a sickle down next to the two daggers.
"Always pays to be prepared. Sophia, take the children back into the cellar. Anyone else you needs a weapon, take one. If you need, take a spare."

Ephezial and Sanadar draw their bows, and move to stand next to the bar, but look at you expectantly, ready to follow your orders. Sophia leaves straight away. The others pause, seeing if any of you take the lead helping yourselves to weapons.

We're now acting by group initiative. Post your actions in any order, once you've all posted I'll do the NPCs and other such. Speaking's still a free action, remember. The inn is about 30ft from the front door to the back wall, and the wall with the front door in is about 50ft long. I'll post a map, with a scale, tomorrow.

[Lizard Lord]

Tony readies his club and moves towards the center of the room and mutters "Oh gods" while doing so.

[Phobia]

Erika Jacobson

"There's something evil out there." Erika said bitterly, drawing her blade and advancing a few steps towards the door. "You elves protect that door at all costs- those kids have to survive, and those of you who wish help protect the elves. I pray to the Gods you two are a decent shot." Erika said, giving the two brothers a pleading look before another bump of the door brought her attention back to it.

"Someone back me up." She said next, keeping her voice under control, advancing to the center of the floor between both doors. She glanced between both of them for a moment. "The rest of you get behind me. Don't worry. We'll figure out what manner of Hell is baring down on all sides. Be ready to fight." The whites of her knuckles were visible around the hilt of her sword. The paladin ran her eye over the collected tables and wood barricading the door, saying a silent prayer that they'd had more. Her voice low, she spoke only to herself.

"We don't have all day."

[Ajadea]

Aderyne flinches and cries out in shock as purple rings shoot out of the markings around her wrists and neck, forming into a whirling, chaotic, shield of loops around her body, like some sort of bizarre strange attractor. She gapes for a second, then gathers her wits partially. "What in the Nine Hells..." she whispers. Then her mind catches up to her mouth. Wait, what are the Nine Hells?


Activating Entropic Warding.

[Samfool]

Following the other villagers into the cellar, Odo suddenly stopped and turned on his heel.

"I will stay out here and help you fellows!", Odo triumphantly announced, pulling out a curved, little flute, "I have to see if Marco is ok anyways, he is my lifeblood! He should still be alive, I mean he was tied up out of sight.."

He brought the zink to his lips and began to play a spirited song, pausing only to sing a few bars in the halfling language. It picked up the spirits of all that were standing near the door and calmed the young ones behind the door.


Inspire Courage, +1 moral bonus saving throws vs charm, fear, attack, and damage rolls for anyone in the room.

[Ruik]

Eradan Torval (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=274444)

Eradan moves with slow deliberation to Erica's side, holding his blade low, muttering a barely audible supplication to Kord under his breath. As he finishes he closes his eyes and a shimmering field of energy springs into life around his body, .

"Let them come!"

He lowers his voice once more as he whispers to Erica out of the corner of his mouth. "Perhaps we should have asked the little one if she was followed."

Casting Bless on all within 50ft, +1 morale bonus on attack rolls and saving throws vs fear effects.

Right so seeing as Bless doesn't stack with Inspire Courage, I'm going with Shield of Faith instead...

[Ajadea]

Aderyne's eyes dart from the door to the ceiling. As soon as she feels the magic settle in around her I'll have to ask what that was later, she darts up the stairs, back to her room, and sticks her head out the window, purple light already gathering in her hand.


See what's out there. If it looks big and nasty and otherwise hostile, I use an eldritch spear on it.

[roll0]
[roll1]

[Cogidubnus]

Adernye:
Ed: By running full-pelt, you manage to get up the stairs, through the door to your room, throw open the shutters, pull up the window and look out. What you see is shocking. Shambling bodies, dull-eyed, grey skinned, slamming themselves into the shutters, over and over. You count 8 against the 4 windows on the front of the building, and there might be more moving around a little way off, you're not sure. One of them has already pulled a shutter off the window.
That was your second round action, I'll post NPC actions etc. For the end of round 1 now.


Everyone else:
Harold and Olaf take clubs, Aelfred take the sickle and Leon one of the daggers. They, copying Marius, take up positions flanking the front windows.
You hear the sound of one of the front shutters being torn off, the one closest to the left-hand corner, followed by both of the shutters on the alley wall, followed by the tinkling of glass as one of the alley windows is smashed in.
Round 2 now.

[Ruik]

Eradan Torval (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=274444)
HP: 10
AC: 18

Hearing the glass break from the alley windows, and worried that anything that comes through could cut off himself and Erika from their only means of retreat, Eradan moves swiftly over to the wall with the alley, or as near as the pile of furniture will allow him to the window.

I'm a little confused on the layout and how hard it is to get there, but assuming that he can make it to the window in a move action, he will ready an action to whack the first thing that comes through with his blade.

[Samfool]

Odo becomes louder and louder, gathering up his courage and picking everyone else's spirits. He is not an adept at fighting, so in order for him to raise his crossbow at an enemy, he must find the passion within himself


Basically just maintaining Inspire Courage, thought I would make it more interesting to give a story-ish thing behind it ^^

[Cogidubnus]

Round 2 Summary

Downstairs:

Harold, Olaf, Aelfred, Lyon and Marius maintain their positions by the windows. Seeing Aderyne sprint up the stairs, the elves follow her, aiming their bows out the window of the room next to her.

Despite the repeated batterings of the things outside, most of the shutters hold. There is a splintering sound from the left window on the front wall and from the bottom left window, but the barricades hold.

Upstairs:

You hear feet sprinting up the stairs, and looking behind you see the two elves dart up them and along the corridor. A moment later, you hear a door click open, shutters slam, the window grating in its fittings, and both elves lean out the window to your right, aiming their bows. You see the shambling things throwing themselves against the shutters andd barricades, but with little success.

[Ajadea]

Upstairs

"Hey guys. Nasty little buggers down there, aren't they?"

OOC: did I hit one of those things down there, since my last attack applies?

[Phobia]

Erika Jacobson

"You're telling me." Erika says lowly, grimacing as she hears a window break and watches the halfling go after it. The girl from before and those two elves run upstairs- leaving the cellar more undefended than she'd like. She redoubles her focus on waiting for them to burst in.

"Hold.." Erika mutters under her breath, glancing around wildly. The paladin suppresses another grimace as she hears yet another window break. She moves quickly to the left window on the front wall to defend it in case it breaks further.

[Samfool]

"Enough is enough.." Odo thought,
He put down the zink after blasting out a few more triumphant notes, and pulled out his halfling-sized crossbow and backed up to the counter and climbed up for a better vantage point. His minuscule stature was able to stand full height even when on the waist-high bar.
"Lets hope we get through this.. I am coming for you Marco.." he whispers to himself

[Ruik]

Eradan Torval (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=274444)
HP: 10
AC: 18

Eradan looks over from his poised position at the window as Odo stops playing. "You know, that crossbow might be more practical, but it is far less uplifting." Then grinning he turn's back to his vigil at the window.

Free action for conversation, then ready action once more to whack the first thing that comes through. Hope I can hold onto those pre-rolled attack and damage roll's, seeing as I just keep the same readied action...

...Also seeing as they should be fairly close together now, I'll throw in a listen check (should be free I think per SRD as Odo spoke - not near my books at the moment) to hear the comment about Marco. Might give us something to chat about later:

[roll0]

[Samfool]

"Haha! A tall-folk with a sense of humor! I like it!" Odo announced in return.


Since I am not really doing anything, I assume conversation is free.

[Cogidubnus]

Round 3 Summary

Upstairs:
Aderyne's magical blast hits one of the shambling things outside the top left window hard, staggering it and blowing chunks of flesh off, but it continues to batter the exposed bone of it's arm against the barricade. Both the elves fire at the same creature. One misses, but the other hits it straight through the neck. It ignores it and carries on regardless.
You see the shutters pulled off the three remaining front windows that had them and thrown backwards into the street.


Downstairs:

You hear the exterior shutters give on all three of the front windows that still had them, while the barricades on the left-hand windows, and on the top left, tremble under the blows, beginning to disintegrate slightly under the pressure. You watch each individual splinter float to the ground with trepidation.

[Ajadea]

Upstairs

"I don't think your arrows are working so well! Try throwing things!" Aderyne calls to the elves before turning back towards the shamblers, as she had mentally dubbed them, and loosing another bolt of whatever-it-was at the shambler she had hit a few seconds ago. Hunh. No learning curve required, apparently. Works for me.

[roll0][roll1]

[Ruik]

Eradan Torval (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=274444)
HP: 10
AC: 18

Seemingly distracted by something outside the window during their brief conversation, Eradan looks back at Odo and brings their brief moment of levity to an end, raising his voice loud enough for all those still in the bar to hear. "Something just moaned outside the window. Not sure if that is good for us, or bad for us, but I'm inclined to say bad."

[Cogidubnus]

As everyone who hasn't posted was holding actions, I'll post another round summary under the assumption that you continue to wait. If there was anything you wanted to do instead, just post two actions together and I'll work out if that changes anything.


Round 4 Summary

Downstairs:
The far right window creaks under the pressure of the attacks, but the barricade seems solid. You hear glass shatter on the windows that still had it, but the interior shutters and barricades seem to be holding. Through the bottom left window, you can now see tiny glimpses of something with grey flesh striking and scratching at the barricade.

Upstairs:
Your blast again hits the shambler, and it begins to show signs of weakening under your assault. The elves shout their thanks for your advice, dropping their bows and drawing daggers to throw. Once again, only one hits, but it seems to do some damage, slicing through the things shoulder.

Damage reference: 12 damage to one target.

[Samfool]

"What the hell is that?", Odo screamed as he saw the grey-fleshed monstrosity breaking through. He was obviously frightened, but would not allow himself to move from the spot. He looked at the people holding near the door, then at Eradan and announced over the breaking of wood,
"Well, I think we can safely say that this is very very bad for us!"

[Ajadea]

Upstairs

Aderyne's eyes widen. "What does it take to make you things die!" she exclaims, flicking her fingers again and loosing another blast of purple light at the wounded shambler.

[roll0] [roll1]

[Cogidubnus]

Round 5 Summary

Downstairs:
All four front windows begin to creak, and holes begin to appear in the barricade at the top left of the room, showing a grey shoulder slamming over and over into the wood, pausing for a moment to bare black gums and yellowed teeth through a hole in the wood, biting slivers out of it a moment later.
Suddenly, a grey arm bursts through the wood next to Eradan's head, nails on the end scratching thin air, then pulls itself back through and resumes punching the barricade.

Upstairs:
Aderyne's blast finally tears the thing to pieces, scattering flesh over the pavement. Sanadar's next dagger misses its target, but Ephezial manages to hit it clean in the chest, severing several muscles and leaving its left arm hanging loose, though this doesn't dissuade the monster from hammering itself against the barricade, pausing for a moment to tear at the wood with its teeth. You can see the barricades on the other front windows must be beginning to suffer now, as handfuls of wood are scattered at the monsters' feet.
But a worse sight greets your eyes. Across the street, four more of the things shamble into view, carrying a ladder, and aiming straight for the window containing Ephezial and Sanadar.

[Ajadea]

Upstairs

"They're intelligent?! Yondalla protect us... Zial! Sana! Close the window, and one of you go down there, get some people up here!"

[roll0][roll1]

Shooting at the high end of the ladder if they're holding it vertically (trying to throw them off balance, 10+ feet of leverage would be a pain to deal with) shooting a shambler if they're not. Are there any ways to get onto the roof?

[Cogidubnus]

Ajadea:
Shout downstairs at the barkeep, he might know.

[Lizard Lord]

Upon seeing monsters puch holes through the baricades, Tony cannot help but utter yet another "oh gods".

He will then drop his club to pull his sling and a some bullets out his pocket. He will then fire his sling through the hole on the upper half of the left wall, hoping to hit the beast that made the whole.

Attack Roll: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[Cogidubnus]

The stone hits the barricade before it can reach the oncoming monsters.

[Phobia]

Erika Jacobson

"Gods help us in this desperate hour." Erika says, engaging in a small prayer as she spots the cause of this for the first time. Her eyes go wide as she takes in as much as she can of the beast, sucking in a gasp. "They look.. almost human.." She mutters, lifting her blade and getting ready to lop off an arm in case something tries to poke through again.

After a moment when it's clear it's not poking it's arm through again, Erika instead presses her tower shield up to her side of the barricade and uses her strength to try and reinforce it.

[Samfool]

"Wait for it.." Nicoli whispered, waiting for the most oprotune time to lauch his shot.

[Cogidubnus]

Round 6 Summary

Upstairs:

Ephezial grins at the little woman's concern. "We have swords, never fear. It's amazing what a life on the road will teach you. We'll hold the window if it can be done."
Your energy blast hits the leading shambler holding the ladder, obviously doing some damage, followed by an amazing dagger throw from Sanadar, but it continues to advance regardless. All four of the creatures, two either side of the ladder, focus intently on the room containing the elves.
You see that the far right and middle barricades are trembling, but worse still, you see one of the things hurl the last of the barricade on the far left window into the street. You hear Marius, inside, roar, and his blade flash out of the window.


Downstairs:
The far right and middle barricades shudder under the external assault, while the barricades on the left hand wall hold. Terrifyingly, however, the lone creature outside the far left window on the front wall tears the last of the barricade clear and hurls it into the street. You can clearly see its mottled grey flesh and blank, even glassy, eyes, as well as the way it stands half-limp, as though only loosely connect to its legs. Without freezing, Marius swings his sword through the empty windowframe, cutting a great chunk from the chest of the monster outside.

Ajadea:
They're looking and acting like Zombies, but they seem far more driven than usual for random incidences of their kind. You know this is no simple undead plague.

[Ruik]

Eradan Torval (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=274444)
HP: 10
AC: 18

Crouched with the ally window slightly to his left, waiting calmly to attack whatever comes through, Eradan looks on in momentary shock as the window ahead of him is forcibly removed and tossed into the street. Recovering quickly he rushes to Marius' side and and thrusts his blade at the creatures torso.


Move action 20ft to stand next to Marius, and attack action to lash out at it. I'm kinda frustrated 'cause the pre-roll for the readied action had a total of 21 to hit, but we will see how this turns out. If he misses, I blame it on him tripping at some point on the way to the window:

Attack: [roll0]

Damage: [roll1]

[Ajadea]

Upstairs

"Didja see that?! They broke through! I'll hold the upstairs for now, we have bigger problems down there! Get everyone up here. It's harder to go upstairs than go down, and I don't think shamblers can do much stair-climbing easily."

[roll0][roll1] Same shambler.

[Samfool]

Odo shrieks in fear at the horrid monster that just threw the barricade. He was just about paralized in fear, save for his finger on th trigger of his tiny crossbow. He fired, hoping to hit the monster, but mostly to make it go away.


[roll0]

[roll1]

[Lizard Lord]

Tony utters a silent prayer to Pelor before launching another stone from his sling.

Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[Phobia]

Erika Jacobson

"Little bugg-" Erika mutters to herself, trying to hold the against the barricade as best she can when she notices one of them rip off the wall. With a wail born out of fear and anger she charges in against the creature on the opposite side of Marius than the route Eradan took, swinging her large blade at the creature.

Big money, big money- stop!

Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[Cogidubnus]

Round 7 Summary

Upstairs:

"I'll head downstairs. Dunno what the others will do about heading up here. Sanadar will hold this window," shouts Ephezial. Sanadar's dagger misses its target, but again yours chips away at its flesh.
Ephezial runs off downstairs while Sanadar draws his longsword. The ladder is almost at the wall now.


Downstairs:
Every attack you make through the window fails to connect, except the crossbow bolt, which punches into the creature but appears to have little effect. Marius drives his sword into it again, taking its left shoulder and arm clean off, leaving it looking like it might fall apart at any moment. Ephezial appears running down the stairs, shouting "They're bringing a ladder. Should we withdraw to defend the stair?"
Marius looks vaguely surprised at the suggestion. "Can you not handle them yourselves?" he asks.
At the same moment, the top right barricade groans under the pressure of the attacks, and the uppermost barricade on the left-hand wall gives way altogether, revealing two more monsters outside. The monster Marius just hit takes a swing at Eradan, but the attack slides harmlessly across his magical defences.

[Lizard Lord]

"Oh gods!" Tony says once more, though much louder this time, as the monsters breach a larger whole through the inn.
"What should we do?" He looks between Erika and Eraden for direction, as they seem to know more about combat then the simple barman.

In the mean time the barman launches his sling once more at the same monster.
Attack:[roll0]
Damage:[roll1]

[Samfool]

In the mean time the barman launches his sling once more at the same monster.
Attack:[roll0]
Damage:[roll1]

I smell a criticalllll

"What on earth is that?" Odo screams, fearing his life, and the life of the children who may or may not make it out alive..
In a fit of tears and rage, Odo reloads his pitiful little crossbow and fires another shot. All are either confused by the ferocity of the halfling, or humored by the little guy's attept at being fearsome.

[roll0]
[roll1]

Critical!
A WHOLE FOUR DAMAGE!

[Ajadea]

Upstairs

"Sana, d'you think you can break the ladder?" Aderyne asks, her words falling together so quickly they sound like only one continuous word. She flicks her fingers and throws the blast with much more force than necessary.
[roll0][roll1] Attacking the same shambler.

[Ruik]

Eradan Torval (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=274444)
HP: 10
AC: 18

Eradan grits his teeth as the creatures continue to try and force their way inside the bar, lashing out again as best he can through the hole in the wall as he yells over his shoulder. "Just try to fend the ladder of, and come get one of us if they get in!"


Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[Phobia]

Erika Jacobson

Erika continues to stab against the abominations trying to make their way in, focusing on the battle and this here. She briefly glances back at those warning of the conflict upstairs, but goes back to attacking the ones down here.

"We don't have enough people.." She mutters, feeling a brief wave of fear. Erika is soon muttering further, but anyone who listens will realize it's a prayer.

Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[Cogidubnus]

Erika:
Have you moved? You're currently stood by an empty window...

[Cogidubnus]

Round 8 Summary

Downstairs:
Eradan's sword cleaves through the skull of the monster outside the window, dropping it. There is no surge of bodily fluid, only a puff of dust from the wound and a foul stench that makes your eyes water. Erika's sword deflects off the window frame as she swings at her target, and both sling bullet and crossbow bolt seem ineffectual against their targets.
Ephezial charges across the room, thrusting his sword through the window Erika is now defending, impaling the creature on his blade. By chance, as he pulled it free, the slashing blade cut away the flesh over the monster's abdomen, spilling its innards onto the street and letting loose a burst of foul-smelling gas. The thing seems unperturbed by the damage done to it, however.
Marius moves quickly to stand next to Aelfred, ready for when the next barricade caves.
Under the relentless attacks, the barricade to the right of the door gives way, and the barricade to the left is noticeably weakened, several gaps in it giving glimpses of the monsters outside. The top right and bottom left barricades, while similarly weak, hold under the pressure.
Aelfred is ready as his barricade gives way, and manages to cut a chunk of flesh from one of the creatures with his sickle. Beyond him and the two creatures attacking the window, you see four more of them setting up a ladder.
Both the creatures at the window Erika is defending target her. The first attack slides harmlessly off her shield, but the second slips past her defence and opens a nasty cut on her neck, only just avoiding the main blood supplies.

Erika:
You take 7 damage (critical hit, apologies)

Upstairs:
Your attack again hits the creature you targeted, and Sanadar throws a dagger with his left hand, which cuts yet more flesh away. The thing is looking battered now, barely moving, but it looks like it's about to climb the ladder. Beneath the ladder, you hear another barricade give way.

[Ajadea]

Upstairs

"One good shot should do it." She takes aim and flicks another blast of energy at the shambler about to climb the ladder.

[roll0][roll1]

[Samfool]

Odo gasps at the blood leaking from Ericka and just about pukes from the gas that is pouring forth. He fires another shot, then reloads, quietly singing a halfling tune to calm his nerves.


Attack
[roll0]
Damage
[roll1]

[Phobia]

Erika Jacobson

"Even if I have to block this gateway with my corpse, you're not getting in here." She grumbles to herself, holding her breath and trying to ignore the blood pouring from her neck. The paladin advances against the window once more to try and stab the creature that attacked her through the window.

HP: 4/11
Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[Ruik]

Eradan Torval (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=274444)
HP: 10
AC: 18


"Even if I have to block this gateway with my corpse, you're not getting in here."

Gaging briefly form the stench of the dead creature, Eradan steps towards Erika, speaking as he stretches forth his hand. "Watch that thing." Placing his hand on her neck, he seizes the power of Kord within and directs it as healing energy directly into her body.

I am a little confused by the grids, but the way I see it he should be able to five-foot step and then heal her? It's not a big deal, I'm just trying to figure out the grid layout on the new map.

Cure light wounds: [roll0]

[Lizard Lord]

Coughing at the stench of the beast, Tony places yet another stone into his sling and fires it at one of the monsters.

[Cogidubnus]

Round 9 Summary

Downstairs:

Eradan's touch rejuvenates Erika, giving her the strength to cut her weakened target in half with one strike, its stinking corpse collapsing onto the floor. Odo's sling shot misses, and the Tony's crossbow bolt, though it pierces the thing's flesh, has no noticeable effect.
Ephezial cuts at the second shambler outside the window, but his blow glances off a forearm raised in defence.
Marius takes an impressive blow at one of the monsters outside the window he's defending, swinging his longsword two-handed and cutting a huge gash through his target, but Aelfred fails to bring his sickle to bear to finish it off.
A moment later, a corpse falls from the ladder above Marius and Aelfred, landing unmoving on the stone flags outside their window.
Though all the barricades now look on the verge of collapse, none of them give way yet.


Upstairs:

Aderyne again weakens the creature with her blast as it starts to climb the ladder. Just as its head comes into view, Sanadar cuts with his sword, and the monster tumbles from the ladder. Another creature starts to climb, reaching the top of the ladder, but not without taking another impressive cut from Sanadar.


Everyone:
Just before you start to move, you hear a loud scream from the cellar. You cannot tell if it belonged to a woman or child, for after an instant it is cut off.

[Samfool]

Odo's Crossbow*

You said I had a sling xD

"What should we do? There are many of them!" Odo screams, reloading and firing another shot.


Attack
[roll0]
Damage
[roll1]

[Ajadea]

Upstairs

Aderyne's eyes widen, and she cusses under her breath. "Whatever you do, don't let the shamblers get up here! Close the window, knock down the ladder, anything!" She slams the window shut and runs down the stairs, taking the most expedient path possible to the cellar. And if that means jumping off the edge of the stair rail? Fine with her.

[roll0] Jumping Down, if applicable.

[Lizard Lord]

I think you switched Ordo's and Tony's weapons around.
Sweat draws on Tony's head as he fires another bullet. If those other baricades break they're done for.

"Boss!" Tony shouts to Marius "Is there a back exit or somethin'? It don't look like we can stay here much longer!"

[Cogidubnus]

Marius cusses loudly before answering.
"We can head out the back door into the courtyard, but we don't know what to expect if we open the courtyard gate. We could try defending the back door though, or else the cellar door."

[Phobia]

Erika Jacobson

Erika smiles broadly at her kill, nodding her appreciation Eradan. As she glances around the battlefield to search for where her help is needed the most she hears the scream and her face goes pale, and her knuckles white on her sword hilt.

She takes a step back and glances around again, feeling all at once hopeless. "Fall back!" Erika suggests, "Maybe?" She shouts again over the noise. "I- I have to see if the children are okay. If it gets to be too much without me escape as best you can or we'll make the cellar our last stand. If you run I'll try and get to the group later- if it doesn't go well.." The paladin lets it remain unsaid and looks towards Eradan again, this time with a look of sadness. "I'm sorry." She mutters, before darting towards the cellar as quick as she can and trying to get down there.

[Samfool]

Odo shouts in response to a Erika, "Retreat? What good will that do? we are stuck in the middle of this city!"

A beast roars and attacks another member of the group, forcing Odo to speed up his speech, "You stay on the wall! They need your blade more than my bolts!"

I am sure the DM will allow me to go in her place.. if Erika wants.
I will still run to the cellar door regardless.

[Ruik]

Eradan Torval

Eradan smiles back at Erika as she nods, enjoying the feel of battle. That feeling is cut short by the scream from the cellar. A scream that reminds him that this is not just a game. Gently pushes Erika in the direction of the cellar as she takes off, he yells after her with more conviction than he feels "Go and help them, we'll be fine!" He then steps up to the window and grunts as he lashes out at the shambler fighting Ephezial.


Actions
Okay, so I guess what that translates to is delay until after Erika, free action to speak, 5ft step to where she was in the window and then a swing at the thing.

Attack:
Damage: [roll2d6+4

I have assumed that the bard's song bonuses are no longer in effect... If not then add 1 to the result of both rolls

Status
Eradan Torval (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=274444)

HP: 10
AC: 18 (with shield of faith which will run out soon)

[Cogidubnus]

For Aderyne, and anyone else entering the cellar after her.

You see Sophia lying face down on the floor, visible by the light of a torch that fell from her hand, a pool of blood slowly spreading around her. The blood is beginning to make the torch splutter.
In the flickering light, you see the little girl. Her skin has turned grey, and the torchlight reveals a strange sheen upon it. She bares her teeth at you and gives out a deep, moaning growl. The light plays across her face, casting her eyes into shadow, and then lighting them up again. You wish it wouldn't, for every time the torch is reflected in those little brown eyes, you see nothing but a blank stare filled with a vague sense of malice.

Congratulations, Aderyne made a dexterity check to manage that landing.

[Samfool]

Odo shrieks and fires a shot at the little girl out of reflex.


Attack
[roll0]
Damage
[roll1]

[Ajadea]

Cellar

Aderyne curses quietly in the halfling tongue. "Someone heal Sophia!" She hesitates for a second, then Odo shoots the girl. Her mind seemingly made up, she blasts the little girl with a coruscating beam of purple light.

[roll0] [roll1]

[Phobia]

Erika Jacobson, The Cellar

"Hellspawn, taking residence in a little girl." Erika spits, approaching the girl and Sophia fearlessly as two separate blasts speed past her at the child. She narrows her eyes down at the kid before moving her shield behind her to free up her hands. "You will face the wraith of me and my God this day." The paladin continues, obvious pain and anger in her voice.

Kneeling down next to Sophia, she examines her form before turning her over on her back and looking her over once more. Assuming she can tell where Sophia is injured at a curiosity glance, she rips off some of her outfit poking out under her armor and gets to work trying to save her. She offers the child one glance before saying, "Keep her off me for a moment." And then ignoring her while she works to save the woman's life.
Stabilize!

Heal: [roll0]

...Fail. :smallfrown:

[Cogidubnus]

Round 10 Summary

Ground Floor:

At last, Tony's sling bullet seems to have some effect, cracking the collarbone of one of the oncoming monsters. However, Eradan fails to hit his target. Ephezial, however, hits the monster true, slashing its arm off.
Aelfred downs one shambler outside his and Marius' window, and Marius cuts a great chunk of flesh from the torso of another.
You see the ladder topple, and the three shamblers on it fall and hit the ground hard. You hear Sanadar's feet on the top of the stairs.
The barrier in front of Olaf and Harold gives way, and they instantly swing their weapons at one of the shamblers, crushing it between the two greatclubs, though it doesn't seem seriously injured.


Cellar:
Odo's bolt punches the girl in the shoulder, but doesn't appear to hurt or slow her. She launches herself at Erika, her claws and teeth scratching futilely at her huge shield.
Impact of actions you've already posted: Erika finds Sophia appears to have stopped bleeding by herself, and is free to act. Aderyne's blast curls around the little girl, cradling her, tearing at her flesh.
The torch flickers, its light shrinking as the blood begins to seep into it.

[Samfool]

Cellar

"Kill it! Kill it!" yells the halfling, then in his native tongue, he screams, "Do it before the mother gets involved!"

He drops his crossbow and pulls out his whip, he moves within range and attepts to knock down the little girl.

Attack
[roll0] I forgot to add a +1, but i didnt get close to hitting her AC did I? xD
Trip Attempt
[roll1]
+5 Dex -4 Size (The girl should get a -4 too.. she is a child after all)

[Ruik]

Eradan Torval

Feeling frustration and anger at the shambler welling up inside of him, Eradan lashes out once more...


Actions

Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]


Status
Eradan Torval (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=274444)

HP: 10
AC: 16 (I believe thats it for shield of faith)

[Lizard Lord]

Tony glances back nervously towards the cellar as he wonders what is going on, before turns to face the monsters and fires another bullet from his sling. Attack:[roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[Phobia]

Erika Jacobson, The Cellar

With a gasp Erika stumbles backward into a standing position, lifting her shield at exactly the right time to deflect the barrage of teeth. The nails make an awful metallic noise as they slide down the shield, the thing that was once a little girl's nails possibly coming off from the effort of trying to tear through the tower shield.

Aderyne's Blast strikes the girl soon after, giving Erika the opportunity she needs. "If whatever is the cause of this can hear me through her.." She grunts, hefting her very large blade into a strike position. "You'd better hope these things kill me because I will find you and my wraith will not be sated." The paladin continues darkly, her eyes full of fire and also sadness at the girl before her before she swings.

"And I will smite you and all those that try and stop me."

Smite Evil!

Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[Cogidubnus]

Round 11 Summary

Cellar:
Erika's cuts clean through the little girl, who gives a piercing shriek and collapses in two halves on the floor, giving off the same foul smell as the shamblers. Her little hazel eyes stare up at you from the left and right.

Ground Floor:
Eradan's greatsword cuts the torso from the legs of the shambler, and it collapses to the floor. Eradan gags loudly at the smell. Tony's sling shot is way off his target though, striking the window frame.
Sanadar comes sprinting down the stairs, joining Lyon at the barricaded window to the top right. Ephezial moves to cover the bottom left window, which amazingly has still held out. Aelfred misses the monster outside his window, but Marius finishes it off with an uppercut.
Harold and Olaf again crunch their target between their clubs, leaving it looking fairly battered, its left side hanging limp from broken bones. It seems unperturbed though.
You hear Erika shouting loudly from the cellar, defying whatever's down there, followed by a piercing shriek and a shout of triumph from Odo.
The bottom left barricade at last gives out, and Ephezial hacks wildly at the shambler that finished off the barricade, hitting it hard.

[Samfool]

Odo walks about the cellar, searching for clues.

[Ajadea]

Aderyne glances at the corpse on the floor. She seems like she's about to say something, but she only turns away and runs back upstairs to the ground floor.

That's a full round action, right?

[Cogidubnus]

No, not from where you are. In one move action you can get up the stairs and stand behind the bar, so feel free to potshot something.

[Ajadea]

I'll take that shot:

Ground floor

Aderyne appears from the cellar, her hood by now long forgotten. Words and runes whirl around her in translucent circles, and if you couldn't see it before, it is clear she is not the same person she was last night. For one, her hair didn't look like she had dipped it in fresh blood, and for another, she definitely didn't have tattoos. She seems oblivious to these changes however.

"The girl was one of those shamblers. We had to kill her." A statement, not a question, devoid of emotion or empathy. Purple light gathers in her outstretched hand, and then she flicks her fingers and it blasts across the room towards one of the shamblers.

[roll0][roll1]

[Ruik]

Eradan Torval

Eradan rushes to aid Ephezial by the alley window, taking aim at yet another of the creatures. He barely registers what Aderyne says, so intent is he on the creature outside. How much more must we, can we, endure?


Actions

Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]


Status
Eradan Torval (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=274444)

HP: 10
AC: 16

[Lizard Lord]

Tony, starting to feel frustrated by his poor aim, fire yet another bolt at one of the creatures.

This time the shriek from the cellar causes Tony's head to turn just before he launches the stone.

Attack:[roll0]
Damage:[roll1]

[Cogidubnus]

Posted before Phobia had done anything. Apologies, I'll save that for later.

[Phobia]

Erika Jacobson

Erika stares forlornly down at the little girl and saw images of the person she used to be. With an empty feeling she realized this might not be the only time today she had to kill someone she knew. Sucking in a breath of air, Erika ran back up the stairs to the main area.

"If.. Sophia is hurt- if someone feels like taking a break they can go try and help her." She offered, before steeling herself and trying to move close enough to strike one of the walking dead after taking stock of what had happened in her absence.

[Samfool]

Odo nods to Erika and walks over to Sophia and asks, "Are you alright? What happened here?"

[Cogidubnus]

As everyone's on the same floor now, no more spoilers!
Map forthcoming, and I had Odo use his move action to come upstairs after he was done searching.

Round 12 Summary

Tony's moment of distraction is enough to ruin his aim and send his sling bullet clattering off the wall.
Aderyne's shot further weakens the shambler Olaf and Harold have been attacking, but doesn't kill it. Eradan, however, manages to cut his target down in a single blow, weakened as it was by Ephezial's well-aimed strike.
Thanks to Aderyne weakening it, Olaf and Harold crush their opponent between their clubs, leaving one more target outside their window, and that fails to land a blow on the.
Marius and Aelfred cut one of the creatures down under a hail of strikes, and the other's claw scrapes along the window ledge instead of soft, yielding flesh. Aelfred then accepts Erika's offer to trade out, and lets her take his place at the window.
The final barricade, on the top right, gives way, but the shamblers outside are unable to take advantage of the fact. Sanadar quickly slashes one with his rapier, but Lyon is unable to make any productive use of his dagger. He only seems to have grasped which bit is the sharp bit.

[Ajadea]

Aderyne nods and runs back upstairs. She might not have had any combat experience, but it was simple common sense for the ranged combatants like her to stay away from the shamblers down there.


Full-round action, like before, I assume?

[Samfool]

Odo loads another bolt and sets his crossbow on the counter. Turning to sophia (Who I assume follows) he says, "Stay near me, I will not let anything happen to you."



Odo has his whip ready to hit anything that comes up from the stairs, he pushes Sophia to the right 10ft, making her out of the way of any attacks from the cellar. Odo is in the space between the cellar door and Sophia.

[Ruik]

Eradan snarls in frustration as he lashes out once more...

[Lizard Lord]

Tony fires a bullet at one of the monsters near Marius and Erika.


I'll shoot Zombie number 13.
Attack: [roll0]
Damage [roll1]

[Cogidubnus]

Round 13 Summary

Eradan fails to hurt the shambler he and Ephezial are facing, though Ephezial's longsword is somewhat successful at injuring it. Tony once again finds his weapon ineffectual against the shamblers. Marius and Erika together cut down one of their opponents.
Harold misses with his club, but Olaf manages to break the shoulder of their remaining foe. Lyon manages to ineptly cut his foe with his weapon, and Eradan finishes it off with a deft slash, leaving a single shambler outside their window.
One shambler moves up to take the place of the one cut down by Erika, while the one next to it attacks Erika, its claws scrabbling madly at her tower shield, gouging little slivers out of it. Ephezial side-steps the claws of his attacker, but Lyon suffers a nasty bite to his shoulder from the one shambler left outside his window. He seems to be capable of coping with it, though.

[Samfool]

Odo simply moves the injured woman to the farthest side of the bar to ensure that she will be safe, then returns to his post.

[Ruik]

Eradan Torval

Anxious to be rid of the enemy in front of him so he can reinforce the remaining barricades, Eradan attacks the shambler in the alley again.


Actions

Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]


Status
Eradan Torval (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=274444)

HP: 10
AC: 16

[Ajadea]

Aderyne heads back over to the window and begins blasting at the shamblers again, smirking slightly. An idea was beginning to form in the back of her mind. She kinda liked that idea too.


[roll0]
[roll1]

[Cogidubnus]

Round 14 Summary

Aderyne's blast weakens one of the two shamblers facing Erika and Marius. Erika then smashes it to her left with her bastardsword, and Marius finishes it with a brutal uppercut that splits its skull like a melon. The thin spray of dust that follows the blade is accompanied by another wave of foul stench that fills the inn.
Harold staggers the monster in front of him with a solid blow, but it still looks ready to take a beating.
Eradan severs the leg of his foe, which slumps forward, and Ephezial stabs at it in a panic, until it collapses off the window sill into the street, no longer moving.
Lyon gets in Sanadar's way as he goes to make a slash, and neither of them manage to hurt the shambler they are facing.
Lyon then takes a heavy blow from the Shambler, staggering back and looking wan, but still on his feet and able to fight.
The shambler facing Erika suddenly cracks her a massive blow across the head, its claws cutting nastily across her face. She collapses, unconscious, to the floor. Olaf, gaping at the Paladin's collapse, takes a light blow to the shoulder.

[Samfool]

"NO!" Odo screams, leaping over the counter and running toward the paladin's unconscious body

If there is a shambler near (within like 5 ft),

Trip Attempt

Attack
[roll0]

Strength Check
[roll1]


If not, he attempts to heal the paladin as best he can so she doesnt bleed out


Heal Check
[roll2]

[Ajadea]

Aderyne hears Odo's scream, and slips out the window partway, slinging another blast of magic whatever at the shambler nearest to where she thinks the paladin is.


I think it'd be a move action to climb up and sit on the windowsill, and a standard action to fire an eldritch blast.


[roll=Damage]1d6

[Samfool]

Aderyne hears Odo's scream, and slips out the window partway, slinging another blast of magic whatever at the shambler nearest to where she thinks the paladin is.


I think it'd be a move action to climb up and sit on the windowsill, and a standard action to fire an eldritch blast.

[roll0]
[roll0]


Thats perfect!
Muahahaha

[Lizard Lord]

Tony will pick up his club and charge at the shambler that that struck down Erica while Odo does his best to heal the injured paladin.

Attack:[roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[Ruik]

Eradan Torval

Seeing the shambler go down, Eradan rests his hand briefly on Ephezial's shoulder to calm him and looks back over his shoulder at the rest of the Tavern. Seeing Erika go down, he swiftly runs to her side and sizes the power inside him and sending it into her body as healing energy once more.


Actions

Run over to Erika, and cast Cure Light Wounds: [roll0]


Status
Eradan Torval (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=274444)

HP: 10
AC: 16

[Cogidubnus]

Round 15 Summary

Erika doesn't appear to be suffering further injury, although Eradan has to devote all his energy to running across the room, and so needs a moment after reaching her before he can try to heal her. She appears to have regained consciousness now, though she seems badly weakened and props herself up beneath the window-frame.
Tony's club seems ineffective, but Aderyne's attack weakens the shambler that knocked Erika down, and Marius throws himself into a full-powered swing which cuts it open from head to navel. More of the foul-smelling dust spills out as the shambler collapses.
Olaf and Harold both hammer their clubs into their attack again, and it staggers, before striking Olaf another heavy blow, leaving him swaying on his feet. Ephezial runs over to support him, ready to step into his place at a moment's notice.
Lyon misses with his dagger once again, then steps back, letting Aelfred take his place. His replacement manages to land a cut with his sickle, though taking a claw to the shoulder in return, his attack followed by another slash from Sanadar's rapier.
Of the two shamblers left standing, the one facing Olaf and Harold looks like it is approaching defeat, while the one facing Aelfred and Sanadar is beginning to show the effects of repeated attacks.

[Ajadea]

Aderyne slips a little farther out of the window, so that she can see where she is aiming, energy already crackling around her hand again. She grins and releases it at the weaker shambler, reveling for a moment in the rush of power she feels, forgetting for a moment that they have no food, little water, and that nagging feeling of loss.


[roll0]
[roll1]

[Samfool]

Odo runs up to the paladin's side, pulling her out of danger, toward the other unconscious woman in the room.

[Cogidubnus]

To speed things along, I'll assume LizardLord's actions too.

Eradan's magic brings Erika back to her feet, sword in hand, ready to be back into battle.
Aderyne's blast turns her target to dust, leaving Olaf and Harold grinning in surprised relief.
Sanadar's rapier cuts comfortably through his target, but Aelfred fails to hurt it. He steps aside, and Erika takes his place, hammering her sword home with enough force to cut the shambler in two across the middle, it's legs and torso both crumpling to the floor in a cloud of foul-smelling dust.

Marius looks cautiously through the broken window.
"I think we've driven them all off. We've...survived." He grins in slight surprise.

[Samfool]

Odo quickly announces "I need to get my donkey, he is my life's blood.. I cannot afford another one. I am going out there. Who is with me? This place is a wreck now anyways.."

[Ruik]

Eradan Torval

Eradan sits down properly on the floor near where Erika lay and leans back on one arm as he scan's the common room, or whats left of it. "I'm not sure that it is safe to go wondering around outside after all that. Then again, even if we could repair the barricades, would it be safe to stay here?". With the last part said mostly to himself, he stands up and brushes off some of the offending creature-dust and looks at Odo. "I will go with you, just don't take too long."

[Lizard Lord]

Tony shakes his, both due to the horror filled situation they are all in and what Odo said. "A donkey? Is he nearby?" Tony shakes his head again. If the donkey was close to inn when the shamblers attacked, it would be a miracle that it would still be alive.

" No offense, but I think we should focus on keeping the humanoids safe. We need to either border up the windows or something. Cause if we can't stay here, then where can we stay?"

[Ajadea]

Aderyne rushes back downstairs, nearly tripping over her own feet, the purple runes around her blinking in and out of existence erratically. She is grinning widely, her happiness in complete contrast to the hopeless situation. If you look closely, her eyes seem to be glowing slightly, and they look slightly unfocused. "We did it!" she says, half-incomprehensible because of the laughter mixed in with her words. She shakes her head at Tony's words.

"We can stay here as long as we have to, till we can find somewhere new! Hide upstairs, and take that ladder up too. Stairs make a convenient chokepoint, you know. I mean, past a certain point they will knock down the walls, but really, what are the chances that we won't find some sort of long term shelter before then?" She throws back her head and laughs, and the laughter has an unhinged, yet genuinely relieved and overjoyed quality to it. "What's the worry? We're alive, after all!"

[Ruik]

Eradan Torval

Eradan remains frozen a few feet from Odo, half-way through the act of sheathing his great sword, blade balanced on his shoulder. Staring at Aderyne. His face remains passive, but he is obviously not going to put the sword away until some sort of explanation is offered for her strange appearance.

[Cogidubnus]

Olaf and Harold slump into chairs as you talk, looking tired. Aelfred joins Sanadar in trying to calm Lyon down. The poor little man seems to be in some kind of shock, shaking and staring about, still terrified they're still under attack.

Marius looks sharply at the halfling. "I can't stop you doing anything, but I thoroughly recommend we stay here. We can reconstruct our barricades, I've got some nails and things, and plan better fall-back routes for next time. But someone's going to have to go searching for some food, if not today then tomorrow, or we'll all starve."

[Ajadea]

Aderyne gestures vaguely at the runes around her. "The shamblers can't track me, not while I have these up. They'd know I'd been around, but they wouldn't really be able to figure out where I'd been or where I was going." Her expression looks slightly more normal, but she offers no explanation for her previous behavior.

"Anyways, I'm heading out, trying to find some stores of food that haven't rotted now. Anyone want to come?"

[Lizard Lord]

"I'll go with. I didn't seem to be much use in the fight and I would like a chance to pull my own weight here."

[Samfool]

Olaf and Harold slump into chairs as you talk, looking tired. Aelfred joins Sanadar in trying to calm Lyon down. The poor little man seems to be in some kind of shock, shaking and staring about, still terrified they're still under attack.

Marius looks sharply at the halfling. "I can't stop you doing anything, but I thoroughly recommend we stay here. We can reconstruct our barricades, I've got some nails and things, and plan better fall-back routes for next time. But someone's going to have to go searching for some food, if not today then tomorrow, or we'll all starve."

Planned.
For.
This.


Odo chirps in, delighted to be of help, Marco has food on his wagon! I transport food and ale across towns. I was delivering it all tomorrow! The wagon is at the nearest stables.. the food is covered by hay and straw to keep the animals away! All you need to do is whistle, like this! Marco will come to you then!

He whistles the simple command *whiiWHIIOU!* *whiiWHIIOU!*

[Cogidubnus]

You all wait in silence for a few minutes. You hear nothing. You keep listening. There are faint sounds, maybe creaks or groans. Maybe moans.

Smash

One of the piles of wood left over from the broken barricades slumps in on itself with a loud crash. Everyone jumps, leaping for their weapons.
"Ohnononononno," moans Lyon, trying to snatch his dagger back from Sanadar.

Everything is still again. There is no sign of the donkey.

[Ajadea]

Aderyne lowers her hands and extinguishes the energy forming on her palm. "I don't see a donkey. So, me and Tony are heading out to the stables then. We'll try to get some food from that wagon back here. Maybe even the wagon itself. Anyone else want to come with?"

[Ruik]

Eradan Torval

Slightly bemused by everything that has gone on, Eradan steps forward when Aderyne speaks. "I'll come with you, you never know what me might run into out there." He turns to Odo as he continues. "Of course, while we are out there, you have to promise not to whistle like that again. I'd rather not let anything out there know we are moving around."

[Samfool]

"Then I better come with you.. Ole' Marco will just run away from you all." Odo informs.

[Ajadea]

"Fine. Let's go." Aderyne pushes the door open and heads out, trusting that fear of whatever is out here will be good enough to get someone to close the door behind her.

[Lizard Lord]

Tony will follow Aderyne as she heads out the door.

[Ruik]

Eradan Torval

Shaking his head, Eraden follows the odd little group in search of a donkey. "I guess were going to play this by ear."

[Cogidubnus]

As you journey outside, you feel a slight breeze disturb the afternoon air. The sun still shines on the deserted streets, and things almost seem normal, if quiet. Looking at the buildings, you see something strange. Most of the houses and shops are still in perfect condition, with little sign of looting, having been well-locked by their owners before they fled town. But every so often, you come across a building that has been shattered to the ground, broken walls tumbling stones and tiles into the street, nothing inside visible under mounds of rubble.

You reach the stables without seeming to disturb anything. The door is locked, but part of the roof seems to have collapsed. There is no sound from inside.

[Samfool]

"..Oh no" Odo whispers. Marco was his friend, his companion! If anything happened to him.. Oh Gods.

He attempts climbing up the side of the building, onto the roof (seeing how the door is locked)

Climb
[roll0]
Move Silently
[roll1]

Wow, really?

[Ajadea]

Aderyne examines the door.


Are the hinges on the inside or the outside?

[Cogidubnus]

Odo's haste in trying to climb the wall fails to yield any noticeable progress, leaving him panting at its base.

The door is a heavy stable door, hinged on the outside, with big iron bolts locked into place to keep it closed.

[Ruik]

Eradan Torval

Seeing Odo's rushed attempt at scaling the wall end in little progress, Eradan quietly moves over to his side, cupping his hands to give him a boost up. He tries to keep one eye out for any signs of danger as he does so.


Right so climb check as aid-another for Odo's next roll (DC 10 right?): [roll0]

Spot: [roll1]

Also, an attempt to move silently: [roll2]

[Cogidubnus]

With Eradan's help, Odo manages to get a solid grip on the roof and heave himself up.

Odo:
Looking down through the hole in the roof, you hear nothing. You see several splashes of blood on the floor, however.

[Samfool]

Odo's eyes begin watering, he searches as hard as he can for his little donkey..


Spot Check
[roll0]

[Cogidubnus]

Odo:
You can't see far enough into the stables from the roof to see if the donkey is there. It's about a 10ft drop.

[Samfool]

"I need a rope!" Odo whispers to the group

[Lizard Lord]

"I have a rope in the chest in my room. Unless one of you guys have a rope on you, I will go get it."

[Ajadea]

"I don't have a rope, sorry. Why d'you need one?"

[Samfool]

"I don't have a rope, sorry. Why d'you need one?"

"I need to check this out.." Odo whispers again.

[Lizard Lord]

If no one else says they have a rope Tony will run back to the inn, then upstairs to his room to get the rope inside the chest inside the room. He will then run back to the stables and throw the rope up to Odo. "Here, catch."

[Ruik]

Eradan Torval

Eradan shakes his head at Odo's request.
"I left my rope - most of my belongings - back at the tavern. I guess we need to wait for Tony." He moves back to the front of the stable from where he was helping Odo while he waits for Tony to return.

[Cogidubnus]

The others watch as Odo slowly lowers himself into the silent stable on the rope.

Odo:

Descending, you find all remains quiet at your entry. There are speckles of blood beneath your feet, and bigger splashes on the wall opposite you and the floor. In the deeper shadows, you see the limp body of a stable hand. A hole has been broken in the back wall further down the stables, and by its light you see another dead stable boy, his blood spread liberally over the surrounding area. You can't tell if you're imagining things, or if there is some pattern to the bloody smears. There is no sign or sound of any animals within the stable. Bloody footprints lead out the hole in the wall.

[Samfool]

Gagging on his own vomit from the horrific scene, Odo climbs back up the rope. He has to tell the others about what is in the broken-down stables.

[Ajadea]

"So what's up in there?"

[Samfool]

"There is a hole in the back, follow me." Odo whispers, sneaking around to the back of the stables.

[Lizard Lord]

Tony will follow Odo around to the back.

[Ajadea]

"You aren't answering my question, you know," Aderyne sighs, falling into step behind Tony.

[Samfool]

"You aren't answering my question, you know," Aderyne sighs, falling into step behind Tony.

"I know.." Odo somberly states, showing a hardened, yet terrified face.

[Ajadea]

Aderyne nods as she steps through the hole, frowning at the rather excessive amount of blood. "Well, this is pleasant," she remarks to the stale air. "Can someone smash those corpses up a bit? Don't need them waking up as shamblers or something. The wagon isn't here is it...probably stolen by whoever did the paint job here and walked out with blood on his or her feet. That's nice. Can anyone here do some tracking?"

[Lizard Lord]

Upon seeing the sight in the stables Tony quickly turns back around and vomits in the street.

[Cogidubnus]

Now that some thought is actually given to the wagon, you notice it is still there, where Odo left it. Indeed, all the tack, cargo and feed is still in the stables. Even the stable hands' stale loaf of bread sits on a small table on one side. Only the animals are missing.

[Ruik]

Eradan follows the others around, taking a moment to check out the footprints where they exit the wall. Ducking inside to join the others, he suppresses the urge to gag as he makes his way over to the food. "Hmm, well if you can get over the state of the room that we found it in, this food looks okay. I can help our water situation as well, so we should have enough supplies for us to repair the inn and work out what we want to do." After a second he shakes his head. "I guess we can't just carry it like this without the mule. We'll need packs from the inn."

[Samfool]

"No, no!" Odo whispers, "We can drag it! Who is the strongest one here? It is only the weight of four men.."

Weighs 407 lbs, but it can be 'dragged'.

[Ajadea]

Aderyne scoffs, apparently, unlike the others, not sickened at all by the carnage or the blood. "I see two halflings, and two humans. I don't think it takes a genius to figure out which group of two is better able to drag this wagon back. Really. It does have wheels. The task is not unreasonable."

[Lizard Lord]

Once his stomach has settled Tony joins in the conversation. "Yea me and Eradan should be able to get this stuff back to the inn."

[Ruik]

Seeing the determination in the others eyes, Eradan relents and moves over to pick up part of the wagon harness, drawing his sword and stowing it amongst the food in easy reach first. "Alright, we'll try it your way."

[Cogidubnus]

Between them, the two men are able to wheel the cart, but it is slow-going. You have to be careful not to lose your grip or to let it hit a bump in the cobbled street, as if it falls you will have no hope of righting it with its contents still inside. The creaking of the wheels echoes in the empty streets, making it sound like a a dozen carts are tracking your progress.

[Samfool]

Odo keeps an eye out for any enemies, but other than that, he cannot do much..

"I miss Marco.." he coos quietly.

Erm, did we make it back yet?

[Ajadea]

"If you want, I can run back with some of the food right now. The others are probably hungry."

[Lizard Lord]

Tony nervously glances back and forth in fear that the wagon's creaking will draw attention. Upon Aderyne's suggestion Tony nods in reply.
"Sounds like a good idea to me."

[Samfool]

"Separating sounds like a horrible idea.. there is safety in numbers." Odo whispers

[Ruik]

Eradan speaks through clenched teeth as he pulls the cart. "It's not that far, we'll be back soon enough."

[Ajadea]

"You've got a point, I guess."

[Cogidubnus]

You all arrive back at the inn safely, although your progress is not fast while dragging the cart, and the sun is now low in the sky. You did not detect anything or anyone dogging your footsteps, either. The inn's occupants are delighted to see the haul you have returned with, and open the courtyard gates and help you drag the cart in. The supplies in it will help keep them going for some time.

[Samfool]

"Alright, what now? We have to fortify the walls, and maybe the basement too, just to be safe.." Odo says, still being quiet

[Cogidubnus]

"We can probably do a good job of repairing the barricades if you need to do something else. I can pull some more barrels up from the cellars, and bring some of the spare wood in from the courtyard. Those fragments from the previous defences will make good firewood, too. But I'm thinking, in a couple of days, once we've all recovered a bit from our wounds," here he indicates in particular Lyon, who is being tended to by Ephezial with some improvised bandages, "we might create a stone wall stretching out into the street, creating a courtyard in front of the inn. That would be more defensible, as we could reduce the number of access points down to just one."

[Ajadea]

Aderyne nods. "Seems like a good idea. At the least, it might prevent more ladder shenanigans. But where do you propose we find the stone? And frankly, I don't think we need another courtyard. Reinforcing the courtyard wall you already have with this hypothetical stone will be enough."

[Cogidubnus]

Marius waves expansively along the street.
"You could say we quarry it. There's a plentiful supply here, and no one's using those buildings. At the least, we could wall up all the ground-floor windows."

[Ajadea]

"Ooh, here's an idea," Aderyne says, eyes seeming to glimmer slightly. "Take all the stone from around the outside of the courtyard, then we get a sort of moat thing. It makes it that much harder to get in and out, and I'm sure we can cobble together something for a bridge. I did woodworking before this happened, I can help you put these barriers back together and figure out the bridge bit too."

[Ruik]

Eradan takes a seat in the common room once the supplies are safely tucked away and takes a long drink of water, savouring both its coolness on his parched throat, and the knowledge that he can make more if needed. He listens in silence as Aderyne and Marius speak, but eventually interrupts with a frown. "Are you sure that such extensive construction won’t be noticed by the creatures out there - whatever they are?"

[Cogidubnus]

Lyon sits upright at this.
"They've already noticed us, hadn't you realised? We need to be ready, or we won't get away a second time."
Ephezial tries to get him to relax again, but isn't very successful, and the slight, bearded man continues to glower at Eradan.

[Ajadea]

Aderyne grabs some water and the stale loaf of bread from the table, munching a bit thoughtfully. "Who else do you think got away a first time? The world hasn't shrunk to just us, you know. At least, I hope not. The other towns, they might have this little shambler problem too. If they do, we know that this thing is widespread. If not, we can escape to over there."

[Ruik]

Despite the age difference, Eradan meets Lyon's eyes without flinching. "The fact that we were attacked here by a small force, which was completely destroyed, does not mean that all such creatures in the city are aware we are here. Nevertheless, if we are to improve the fortifications, I agree that we should wall-up the windows and doors of the lower level." He looks away to Aderyne as he continues. "As for how widespread this is, all we can do is speculate, unless you are volunteering to try and journey somewhere to find out."

[Ajadea]

"Not a terrible idea. I'm fast, and little. I don't need as much food, and I don't think they'd be as able to follow me..."

[Cogidubnus]

Marius frowns. "You might certainly learn something by exploring the surrounding area while we build more barricades. If you want to leave the city, well, your best bet is to travel east, towards the Merchants' Gate. Let me explain how the city's laid out. It's circular and split into four rough quarters. The south west quarter, which actually extends into nearly half the north west quarter, is the Poor Quarter, and consists of crowded slums. The south east quarter, south of our location, is the Artisan's Quarter, where the skilled tradesmen live. This is the Merchant's Quarter, as you all know, as it's where most travellers enter the city. The north west quarter is the smallest. It's the Noble's Quarter. It's also the highest quarter, as everything else slopes up towards it, and a sheer cliff separates it from the Poor Quarter. In the centre of the city is the Prison and main guard barracks. Either there or the Noble Quarter would have been the best defended."

[Lizard Lord]

"What?" Tony asked, giving Aderyne a shocked look. "You can't go out by yourself! You'd get killed!"

[Samfool]

"If I know anything about you humans, its that you protect your nobles more than anything.." Odo spat

[Ajadea]

Aderyne snaps her fingers and a blob of dark purple light forms between her fingers. "I don't know what this is. But it can hit things two hundred and some feet away, and isn't bad at dusting the shamblers." She closes her hand into a fist and the light dissipates. "Checking out the rest of the city at least seems like the best idea we have."

[Cogidubnus]

"Well, you'd best get moving fast, before you lose the light. If you're not back by morning, we'll send someone after you. Which direction are you heading in?" Marius asks.