The Wonderful exploits of Fillangus Doddlehop&co IC

[Archmage1]

I'm sure that decision has nothing to do with your incredible rolls there. :smallbiggrin:

[ben-zayb]

Hanmaru Ryuuhei - Level 1 - Human Warblade
Male Chaotic Good
Init +7, HP 9/14, Speed 30 ft
AC 1513, Touch 13, Flat-footed 12, Fort +4, Ref +3, Will -3, Base Attack Bonus +1
Bastard Sword +4 (1d10+4, 19-20/x2)
Short Sword +4 (1d6+3, 19-20/x2)
Shortbow (Arrows (100)) +4 (1d6, x3)
Leather (+2 Armor, +3 Dex)
Abilities Str 17, Dex 16, Con 15, Int 8, Wis 4, Cha 8
Condition None
Balance +7, Jump +7, Tumble +7, Concentration +6
Maneuvers and Stances Steel Wind, Steely Strike, Sapphire Nightmare Blade, Punishing Stance1

Seeing his plan accidentally backfiring on his ally and the cart, Ryuuhei opts to again use his swordsmanship. He drops the torch and readjusts his footing, careful not to step on it.

"Gaah! This is your fault! Just die already!", Ryuuhei wails as he hacks the wolf.
Swift Action: activate Punishing Stance
Move Action: Draw the Bastard Sword
Standard Action: Attack the wolf
Attack:[roll0]; Damage: [roll1]+[roll2]

[theterran]

drack

IC:
Watching his last companion fall to the undead, he moans.
"Well, I guess I'm next...at least I didn't have to waste a knife slowing that guys horse down myself..." he says, attempting to lighten the mood, which just makes him groan.

Pushing his horse hard, he begins to give up hope, when he finally sees a tree with carvings on it, his spirits lift, just a little.
Maybe there's a town close, that actually has a militia... he thinks, remembering the vast horde of undeads behind what is currently chasing him......Or at least a distraction to let me get away...

OOC:
Horse is taking a Run Action (60ft x5)

[drack]

everyone but terran

You all suddenly notice the hoofbeats you had heard earlier and thought to just be those of the old man's donkey have not stopped, but rather built to a low thundering. It sounds like two... no, 3 riders. From the dragging sounds, it seems like one of them is dangling from his mount, possibly dead.

[Archmage1]

More trouble. As if this unkillable fat wolf wasn't enough...
Simon grumbles to himself as he recovers from his last strike.

[Princess Tari]

Cassie silenty watching the battle decides to help moving behind the beast with her two scythes she attacks.
[roll0] 10
dmg [roll1] 5
[roll2]
[roll3]
edited last off
Please do something...

[BelGareth]

Santiago tries to swing again.


[roll0]
[roll1]

[drack]

Santiago manages to strike the beast causing more of the scabs to chip.

[casualcryptic]

Josie continues being a roguish rogue in a fearsome fray, moving close enough to the obese beasty to toss a deadly dagger.

[roll0]
[roll1]

[drack]

The deadly dagger clatters to the ground at the feet of the mighty wolf.

[Elysian Blade]

Alexander goes deeper into his rage picks up the corpse of the man that was decapitated and throws it into the beast with all his power.
I dont know how to calculate that.

[drack]

[roll0] for a ranged attack
[roll1] damage is base for attacking with your fists, I figure improvising a weapon without really knowing how to can't do much more then that. :smallconfused:

[drack]

The corpse flies over the wolf landing beside it while it attempts to crush it's next victim with a bloated paw.

[roll0] for [roll1] damage

Douglass

You hear your pursuers right behind, you feel their angry glares watching you as their heavy hooves beat down dirt behind you.

[Lexin]

...aaaand another double fist attack! (actually continuing previous blind flurry of blows)


Attack [roll0]
Damage [roll1] bl + [roll2] acid
if it hits - Trip [roll3]

Attack [roll4]
Damage [roll5] bl + [roll6] acid
if it hits - Trip [roll7]

[Archmage1]

Simon, this time remembering that little thing called flanking, once again tries to hit the wolf. Maybe this time it would remember that he had hit it, and react!


[roll0] attack
[roll1] damage


Alas... his hopes go unanswered.

[drack]

One of the fists catches the wolf in the flank, leaving a print of acid behind it.

To avoid trip [roll0]
Edit: don't really think he's tripped. :smallsmile:

[casualcryptic]

Josie looks uneasily at the giant hopping wolf blob before pulling anothe dagger from his vest and tossing it.

[roll0]
[roll1]

[ben-zayb]

Hanmaru Ryuuhei - Level 1 - Human Warblade
Male Chaotic Good
Init +7, HP 9/14, Speed 30 ft
AC 1513, Touch 13, Flat-footed 12, Fort +4, Ref +3, Will -3, Base Attack Bonus +1
Bastard Sword +4 (1d10+4, 19-20/x2)
Short Sword +4 (1d6+3, 19-20/x2)
Shortbow (Arrows (100)) +4 (1d6, x3)
Leather (+2 Armor, +3 Dex)
Abilities Str 17, Dex 16, Con 15, Int 8, Wis 4, Cha 8
Condition None
Balance +7, Jump +7, Tumble +7, Concentration +6
Maneuvers and Stances Steel Wind, Steely Strike, Sapphire Nightmare Blade, Punishing Stance1

Amidst unleashing his fury, Ryuuhei takes a momentary state of zen to collect his thoughts and prepare for his next assault.
Swift Action: recover maneuvers
Standard Action: attack the wolf
Attack:[roll0]; Damage: [roll1]+[roll2]

[theterran]

drack

Douglass slows his horse to navigate the curves of the road, praying to no deity in particular that those undead horses won't catch him..

[Elysian Blade]

Sorry bout the hold up ill give cassie a call

Just because
Handle animal check
[roll0] I dont know if I get any bonuses to it though

if it doesnt work
back up 5ft and then move to where the horses are coming from.

[Princess Tari]

Handle animal Drack maul him please

Cassie decides to back up and move to the burn cart and draws her bow picks up one piece of wood still on fire with a sharp tip as to penetrate its flesh biting back tears from the pain she fires in at the beast.

Theres alot going on her how do I do it?

[BelGareth]

Seeing such a battle spiraling out of control, Santiago sighed a breath of despair, they needed to start working together, or this would never finish with their lives....

"Ryuuhei! Move opposite Simon, I will assist you, let us FINISH this damnable thing!"


He will aid another for Ryuuhei on his next attack:
[roll0] vs AC 10

[drack]

The wolf continues to ruthlessly tear at the head from the downed man, ignoring all the attempts to deter it from it's righteous task.

[roll0]
[roll1]

Meanwhile the sound of the bandits draws closer, the downed one sounds if if he's jostled as his mount runs over a reasonably sized rock on the trail, the others approach foretold only through the clattering of his mounts goofs over the earth below.

[Archmage1]

And there goes another one... Hopefully, it won't come after me next...

Simon swings again, his morningstar a glittering red arc as he swings it towards the wolf's head.


[roll0] atta
[roll1] damage

[Lexin]

Faelyn overconfident after one of his random punches connected... continues his efforts.
"Die! What the hell is taking you so long you fat... animal?!"
'Note to self, work on insults.'


Attack [roll0]
Damage [roll1] + [roll2]
if hits - Trip [roll3]

Attack [roll4]
Damage [roll5] + [roll6]
if hits - Trip [roll7]

[drack]

[roll0]
[roll1]

[casualcryptic]

Josie fondly remembers a time before the eternal fight with the fat wolf. But of course, those were in the days long ago...

[ben-zayb]

Hanmaru Ryuuhei - Level 1 - Human Warblade
Male Chaotic Good
Init +7, HP 9/14, Speed 30 ft
AC 1513, Touch 13, Flat-footed 12, Fort +4, Ref +3, Will -3, Base Attack Bonus +1
Bastard Sword +4 (1d10+4, 19-20/x2)
Short Sword +4 (1d6+3, 19-20/x2)
Shortbow (Arrows (100)) +4 (1d6, x3)
Leather (+2 Armor, +3 Dex)
Abilities Str 17, Dex 16, Con 15, Int 8, Wis 4, Cha 8
Condition None
Balance +7, Jump +7, Tumble +7, Concentration +6
Maneuvers and Stances Steel Wind, Steely Strike, Sapphire Nightmare Blade, Punishing Stance1

By the four winds! Bob got killed! He tumbles over the cart, setting up a flank with his fellow warrior.

"Vengeance!", he roars with a swing.
Free Action: 5-ft. step to flank (+2 attack), with Tumble [roll0] or Jump [roll1] (whichever's appropriate)
Standard Action: initiate Steely Strike (+4 attack)
Free Action: Power Attack for 1 (+2 damage, -1 attack)
Attack: [roll2]; Damage: [roll3] + [roll4]

[drack]

You manage to decapitate the wolf once more, though this time the head remains detached. coup de' grace

[Elysian Blade]

coup de grace?

Alexander moves in and grabs his sword out of the best and swings down as hard as he could.

POWER ATTACK 2
[roll0]
dmg [roll1]
I really wanted him as a pet sadly :smallfrown: :smallbiggrin:

[drack]

The headless corpse slices in two under the force of your blow.

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/combatModifiers.htm#coupdeGrace

[Archmage1]

Simon, sweating under his armor, lets out a brief sigh of relief.
"Glad that thing is dead, at last. Wonder if it had anything useful, or if any of the dead do. Then again... we have other concerns."

He moves to face the oncoming horses.

[Lexin]

Faelyn just stands by the corpse breathing hard, staring at it uncomprehending.
"Huh. It's over?" he says after a moment.

It takes another while or two before he notices the sound of incoming horses (possibly with riders). He turns to face them and takes his place in team formation (behind the guy in full plate...).

[BelGareth]

Santiago smiles as the young man decapitates the thing...finally, he thought, that thing was a fight...he almost slumped down, ready to relax for a moment, even it was next to the corpse of a few men...

He stood straight, Damn! his back ached, they had been going for a while...but these new comers...something wasn't right.

He moved towards them slowly on an intercept course.

only moving 20.

[theterran]

Douglass slows the horse as he approaches those who seem to be milling about, next to a headless wolf-thing...

Recognizing Simon, he sizes him up.

Sword Thief...should I go around them, and let them die in the onslaught of what follows...
Douglass glances behind him. Then shudders visibly.
No...no one deserves that...not even him...
Then nods to himself.

Addessing Simon, but loud enough for all to hear, he says,"Two undead horses have shadowed me since I left the village. The entire village has been overrun by a horde of undead, I escaped with half-a-dozen villagers, we were followed and they were picked off one by one by those that followed until I alone remained, with these two trailing me.

Steel yourselves, and pray that the entire horde did not see fit to follow."

As he finishes, Douglass fingers his knife and glances around back down the road.

[Archmage1]

Once Simon sees the fellow bearing down on them, and recognizes him, he has a simple thought.
Him again? Idiot. Why he didn't just stay at that little village of his...

However, as the fool comes closer, he gives a warning, which is rather relevant.
"A horde of undead? They didn't set watchers after the undead we ran into there?"
He shakes his head, slowly.
"In any event, I think we should move on, and hope that the horde did not follow him here. First, though... we may as well loot the fallen. No reason not to. Is anyone willing to dismember them? Giving a necromancer more usable corpses seems... unwise."

Inwardly, Simon is not too happy.
So, first, that idiot runs from a horde of undead... and then he leads them here... Just when I thought the day couldn't get any worse...

[theterran]

Still concentrating on the road behind, Douglass speaks toward Simon.

"Watchers would have done little. A pack of undead wolves and half as many horses had set about knocking over all the buildings of the village...not to mention other...less savory things...." He shudders again at that memory.

[Archmage1]

Simon shrugs, his armor clanking.
"Doesn't matter now."
He turns back to Fillangus
"If these undead exist, and if they are headed this way, we need to get moving. No sense in leaving anything behind, though. Anyone care to open up the wolf, see if it ate anything interesting?"

He turns, and heads towards the fallen, looting them.

[BelGareth]

Santiago listens to the rider who ignored him and plowed right on towards Simon...

wasn't that the guy who we beat up? he asked himself, shrugging at the relevance of the fact, the town was overrun by undead, not much mattered right now...

"Simon, we should hurry, loot what we can and get out of here, we barely managed that fell beast, a whole town would be....hard."

[Archmage1]

Simon, looting the fallen, has a simple, one word response to Santiago's feelings.
"Agreed. Help me with his left boot?"

[Lexin]

"Just don't take too much. I would prefer to avoid an undead horde. Especially as it wiped out one or two villages." says Faelyn... and joins the looting.

[BelGareth]

Santiago remains stoic for a moment, but only a moment as he grins and nods, moving to help Simon.

[drack]

As everyone turns to their loot, two war ponies emerge from around the bend, one with it's head seemingly bashed in, several dangly bits still attached splatter the mare as it comes to a stop.

terran make a ride check

Just behind it a second emerges, it's stomach split, and vital organs dragging on the ground beneath it, occasionally bouncing when a rock comes up under it. This second horse emerges from the clearing behind Douglass running towards him.

[drack]

As everyone turns to their loot, two war ponies emerge from around the bend, one with it's head seemingly bashed in, several dangly bits still attached splatter the mare as it comes to a stop.

terran make a ride check

Just behind it a second emerges, it's stomach split, and vital organs dragging on the ground beneath it, occasionally bouncing when a rock comes up under it. This second horse emerges from the clearing behind Douglass running towards him.
Attack on horse
attack[roll0] (forgot +2 for charging)
damage[roll1]

The hoof of the first pony clips the horse in the real, dealing no lasting damage, yet spurring the exhausted horse into further horror.

[Elysian Blade]

Alexander feeling stangely tired Oh one turn left on rage that might put me into a negative once its gone.

He moves himself and strikes at the closest undead on the horse with the rest of his strength.

Power attack 2
Attack [roll0] (+2 more forgot)
dmg [roll1]

After his swing at the beast he stumbles and moves himself to lean against a tree until he regains some strength back.

[Lexin]

Faelyn sighs "Not even a moment to rest." and walks towards the headless pony with a confident expression... and shaking legs.
When he reaches his target he attacks, overcoming his fear of undead animals.

Attack [roll0]
Damage [roll1] Bludgeoning + [roll2] Acid
If it hits - Trip [roll3]

... if I manage to survive till level up I really need to get some interesting evolutions... this punching stuff pattern might be effective but quickly becomes boring...

[Archmage1]

So he was telling the truth... we need to deal with these... quickly.

"Fillangus, can you load up the fallen? We will want to get moving... quickly, before more of these things come."

Simon, his armor, as usual, clanking, assuming it is possible, will charge at the nearest undead pony, taking a mighty swing.
Gods... this... this thing... it stinks!
The smell waters his eyes, and is among the most horrifying things he has ever smelled.


So... no map access, so while I am fairly sure I can do this, I am not absolutely sure.
So... attacks
[roll0] attack
[roll1] damage

[drack]

Alexander's greatsword bites deep into the first, lifting it clear off the ground to crash into the ground beside it.
The second zombie takes the punches and morning star to two different flanks, struggling futally against the funny looking man's grip that slowly drags the rotten beast to the ground. Somehow the flesh feels different then that of a normal zombie, more akin to meat that has been slowly cooked, decayed to the point that it, if anything, tears easier from the bones.

[ben-zayb]

Hanmaru Ryuuhei - Level 1 - Human Warblade
Male Chaotic Good
Init +7, HP 9/14, Speed 30 ft
AC 1513, Touch 13, Flat-footed 12, Fort +4, Ref +3, Will -3, Base Attack Bonus +1
Bastard Sword +4 (1d10+4, 19-20/x2)
Short Sword +4 (1d6+3, 19-20/x2)
Shortbow (Arrows (100)) +4 (1d6, x3)
Leather (+2 Armor, +3 Dex)
Abilities Str 17, Dex 16, Con 15, Int 8, Wis 4, Cha 8
Condition None
Balance +7, Jump +7, Tumble +7, Concentration +6
Maneuvers and Stances Steel Wind, Steely Strike, Sapphire Nightmare Blade, Punishing Stance1

Finally! Ryuuhei almost breathed out his words in exhaustion. But no sooner than the defeat of the wolf, another set of zombies seem to have appeared courtesy of that bandit.

"Enough of this... I'm not gonna be eaten by zombies tonight!", Ryuuhei declares as he moves closer to his ally, waiting for his opportunity to strike at the foul undead.

Move Action: move the full 30ft. near Faelyn
Standard Action: ready action to make an attack once any of zombie ponies get within his range
Attack: [roll0]; Damage: [roll1] + [roll2]

[drack]

As the second horse charges up to attack it's prey, your flurry of attacks manages to lay it to rest beside its comrade.

+195xp to all of you
On the peasant you find three coppers, a soiled peasant's rags, and a stick. He did however have a donkey.
On the undead war-ponies you find rotting flesh, tell me if any of you want to look inside
From the wolf doddlehop takes the teeth and claws leading you to the assumption that he's a collector of such things, but otherwise you find no loot.

Other loot:
http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=590849
http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheetview.php?sheetid=591293

[Archmage1]

After the group finishes looting, Simon looks around.
"We need to get moving. If there is a horde of undead heading this way, I don't want to be here when it arrives."
Matching his words to actions, he starts down the road once more, using some of the clothing retrieved from the fallen to try and clean his morningstar.

[drack]

As you enter the village you smell the festering corpses of the dead, buildings bear the scars of the other wolves smashing their way in, and silence coats the village like a heavy fog.

Even though we're not fighting the wolf here, figured I may as well toss up the map in case anyone wants to do anything with it.
http://www.editgrid.com/user/lexin/Formations

[Archmage1]

Simon shakes his head at the devastation, and waste, and keeps moving with the group, hoping that more super-wolves don't show up.

[Elysian Blade]

Alexander feeling tired of his ordeal walks up to doddlehop and says "Can we get a raise because I dont think were getting paid enough."

Alexander then walks to the rest of the group. I dont think we`ve been introduce formaly names Alexander Al`Rand and you guys are? Asks rubbing his side from where the wolf hit it.

[drack]

Doddlehop looks quite affronted. "I pay as well as any do for good strong mercenaries like yourselves. I even share my best food with you, and in return you light my cart on fire, make a racket when a man warns you that doing so will bring monsters down upon us all, and then demand a raise?!" Waving his finger at you he continues. "I don't know what your parents taught you, but you should learn some manners and gratitude young chap."

[Elysian Blade]

Doddlehop looks quite affronted. "I pay as well as any do for good strong mercenaries like yourselves. I even share my best food with you, and in return you light my cart on fire, make a racket when a man warns you that doing so will bring monsters down upon us all, and then demand a raise?!" Waving his finger at you he continues. "I don't know what your parents taught you, but you should learn some manners and gratitude young chap."

Oh I should learn some manners we saved your life by my count twice in the span of a half-hour and lost a couple commrades to and you show no gratitude we should leave you here to deal with whatevers left and by what the man on the horse theres a lot more then this he motions to the undead.

I want to do intimidate [roll0]

[drack]

Doddlehop is undeterred.
"You're a mercinary. You're paid good money to save my life. Are you saying you don't want to be paid at all? If so, fine, you can consider yourself officially fired."
Turning to the two men off the payroll (alexander and douglass) he adds "Well I'm not cruel enough to set you out here alone with an undead horde coming. You can tag along for now and I'll consider offering employment later if your behavior merits is."

[Archmage1]

Still moving with the wagon, Simon calls over to Doddlehop.
"Say... are there any fortifications or anything in this area? It might make sense to head for something like that, and let them handle the undead."

[drack]

Glumly Doddlehop replies "I'm afraid not. As I told you when we set out, only kind of stronghold about these parts are those belonging to the goblins to the north. That might be a good thing were they not so often hungry, and our peace with skullcrusher so fragile. There should be a village about a days march ahead, and then we'll be taking a main road south back to our nice stout walls and moats. No paths going south before that, and another village of trade should help. Without this one I fear my profits are being cut a bit."

[Archmage1]

Simon sighs.
"Pity. At least we will be on our way to safety soon. Although... you might want to trade quickly as well, since undead, while slow, don't sleep. Another thing: Do we warn them? That would change the value of your goods significantly."

[drack]

You see Doddlehop's mind at work as he draws on past experience."Indeed. I've half a mind to sleep in shifts on the mounts, forcing the poor beasts to walk near death. I know they can't sustain the pace until they reach the town, but it would at least save us some time. As fr telling them. I find it's best to bear the bad news and then sell food and healing. We can always stock up in a nice walled city, and letting them know beforehand makes them allot less angsty when we decide to leave with their precious few weapons and healing potions while leaving them to fight off ravenous undeads. May even be worth a penny to them to know of it."

[Archmage1]

Simon shrugs.
"Your choice. At a minimum, we should be able to hang on to the mules, and move faster... but... if we really want to move faster, we need to get your cart moving faster."

[drack]

"Not sure what we can do to speed the cart short of pushing the mules. They can walk a few days in a worst case scenario without your lot facing sleepless nights. What else would you suggest doing for it?"

[Archmage1]

"Discarding things may let the mules move faster, and getting out of this muddy road would probably help a bit... assuming we can do so."

[drack]

"As for ditching the stuff I fear little can be done, it's all important after all, and off the roads..." He gestures to the thick woodlands that grow alongside the roads. "It may slow us further."

[Archmage1]

Once more, Simon shrugs.
"You know this area better than me. What we can do, we will do."

[ben-zayb]

Ryuuhei kneeled and offered a moment of silence for their fallen comrades. He never knew them personally, only that the Wizard's quirks made the traveling a little less stressful, and his fellow warrior's martial prowess deserves respect.

"From now on, I fight for the both of us, brother", he whispers as he picks up the fallen's mace and bow.

He then promptly catches up with the rest of the group, in the middle of some conversation between Simon and their employer.

[theterran]

Walking along, guiding his horse, whom he named 'Stepper', Douglass walks up beside Alexander, and slaps him on the back in a friendly manner.
"Welcome to the club of the 'tag alongs'..." he quips.

Continuing forward, he approaches Doodlehop.

"Do you really think it wise to stop and trade your wares, knowing what approaches behind?"

[drack]

"If you see any sign of them however, we'll not waste a moment. Otherwise I don't see any harm in spending a few minuets, especially if it can make this journey half as profitable as I had hoped."

[BelGareth]

Santiago was so tired he had little help against the horses, and was happy to see them dead...again.

leaning against the side of the wagon, he smiled as they picked up the remaining gaer ready to head out.

Walking alongside the wagon he listed quietly as simon and thiddleporf spoke to each other. He absentmindedly radiated his healing aura, making sure everyone was at least alive.

[Elysian Blade]

Alexander smiles at douglass's comment. As Santiago walks past him he starts to feel his energy coming back into his body and he nods his thanks to santiago.

Alexander than walks to simon and saysI hope some of this loots mine he says indicating the what your grabbing. I believe one of us needs to get the cart ready to get moving so i'm going to hook up the mules and make sure that the cart is still usable, after that i might look to see if I can clear some of the debris on the road to make the early part go a little bit faster. Alexander finshes getting started on the task at hand.

[Archmage1]

Simon shrugs, as he finishes tying loot to the ragemule.
"That is up to the group, really. We can decide that later."

[Lexin]

"I agree, it's better to be far far away before the undead get here..." says Faelyn. He walks near the center of the group and throws back nervous glances, from time to time, looking for zombie horde chasing them.

[Archmage1]

Simon nods.
"It's a pity, really. There are probably all sorts of goodies in this destroyed village, and we can't take the time to collect them."
He looks sad. Well, as much as someone wearing full plate, with a full helm can, anyway.
After a moment, he shakes his head.
"We should be moving."
Assuming that they weren't moving yet, he starts out, clearly expecting everyone else to follow him.

[drack]

After a good day and part of a night of travel you notice a bright light ahead, shadows flickering through the night, screams wrecking the air with feral growls.

[Archmage1]

Not good. If that is the village, looks like the undead got there first. But they must have not taken the roads... Could be some sort of scouting force... do undead bother with things like that? Either way, time to see if we can avoid it...

After observing for a few moments, Simon turns to Doddlehop.
"Would that happen to be the next village? Can we avoid it, and cut cross country to the main road?"

[drack]

"I... don't know. It's still a ways off after all, but in these parts until after that next village there is only one road. We could always risk it with the woods, but it may prove harder still. I... Don't really know what to do in this situation, do you? Should we be fleeing into the woods if they're not on the roads, run back to the ruins of the last town, try to fight through that village so that we can get to a crossroad or vantage point? It's been years since I've been out this far, and I never thought that three villages might be overthrown in less then a week. Why it's, it's, absurd, that's what it is!" Throwing his hands in the air Doddlehop casts his eyes around for suggestions.

[Archmage1]

Simon looks squarely at him.
"You are the employer. If that is just a small group of undead, we might be able to defeat them, allowing us to pass through the village. It could also be the main horde. Alternatively, they may be distracted by the villagers, allowing us to move through, mostly unopposed. If it is the main horde, we would all die. Equally, so, if we can get through the woods with the cart, we may be able to avoid finding out either way. Or there might be undead in the woods, to eliminate those fleeing the village. What we need is someone to go and take a look, and then come back. Someone able to avoid notice."
He looks as Josie as the mentions the need for a scout.

[drack]

Important roll thingies

move silently [roll0]
hide [roll1]
spot [roll2]
listen [roll3]

[BelGareth]

Santiago looks on and hears the screams with a grimace.

But as Simon speaks a thought forms itself.

"Mayhap there is some good loot we can grab to 'cover our expenses'" he says to anyone listening.


New day?
recovered daily uses of things?

Also -Sense [+1 to spot, listen, & initiative]

[Archmage1]

Simon shakes his head.
"Loot is nice. Living is more important. Our chances in there, well... they are not good."

[drack]

new day
new daily uses
1hp from resting
All mounts are forced to hustle... may as well round up to 24hours.
Also feel free to use the three healing spells from cleric
[roll0]
[roll1]
and 1


Jossie slips off, staggering off blindly through the dark, his face looking to have been burned, shredded, or perhaps some of both. "There... aren't many. One caught me there, but more are coming from the north."

[Archmage1]

"That settles it then. If there are only a few, we should be able to break through. We will need to keep moving, not stopping to fight them for as long as we can."

[Elysian Blade]

Alexander looks at the group and decides what to do. He sighs Douglass can I borrow that horse and i'll need a bucket to get some attention I do my best at making a distraction hopefully I can draw them away from you guys long enough to get you through the town. Alexander says ready to do this even if his life will be on the line.

[drack]

Billows of black smoke flow freely from the village, vannishing into the pitch black of the night sky. As your group advances, the tall licking flames of the burning village comes into sight, licking across the houses, not an undead in sight. Perhaps the heat of the flames was enough that even they couldn't take it forever. This close the flames burn bright enough that it could well be full day.

map of village (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AqrKlOMj1BaLdHEtWlQ0NGR4ZlR4U0VoMGpvaHZBW Gc&usp=drive_web&authkey=CJHe4LoO&authkey=CJHe4LoO#gid=5)
Adding to first post

After line AK
heat dangers (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/environment.htm#heatDangers)
on red
catching on fire (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/environment.htm#catchingOnFire)
After line AA
smoke effects (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/environment.htm#smokeEffects)
black and dark red on map
wooden walls (dropping to half HP due to fire (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/dungeons.htm#walls)
Some other fun stuff if you choose to cut through the woods or the like. :smalltongue:

Afraid this is that (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=16292074&postcount=752)one mates. :smallcool: Last call on buying healing before you enter.

Unconscious people are a move action to pick up. Mounts can carry unconscious people too.

[Archmage1]

Simon looks over the burning village. Apparently the gods were not pleased with him, burning all the good loot time and time again.

"Well. Lets do this."

He starts moving forwards.

[drack]

The flames crackle eerily disturbing the otherwise still night air.

Roll initiative, lets go turn based for funsies People may feel free to covet the healing rolls, purchase healing, buff themselves, or line up before initiative is rolled. Also place yourselves on the map. I'll drop cassie and doddlehop near the back.

[theterran]

Turning to answer Alexander, Douglass quickly realizes that everyone else has slowed, leaving him out in front...


I'm not even getting paid for this, and somehow I manage to take the lead...that just ain't right.. he thinks to himself.

"Not a chance, if anyone would bolt, it'd be me, and trust me, it doesn't work, ask any of those villagers that rode with me..." Douglass states, growing quiet while looking at what lies before them.

[ben-zayb]

He was still nibbling his nightly rations when they came upon the sight of the burning village. Ryuuhei immediately packs back his meal and readies his improved ranged weapon, just in case some random aggressors strikes at them yet again.

[drack]

Seeing the mercenaries positioned around his cart, Doddlehop spurs his mounts on. (moving tari and NPCs too)

[Elysian Blade]

Alexander draws his greatsword not that sadden that his plan was shut down.

[Lexin]

Faelyn walks in front of the group. ... frantically thinking 'How the heck did it happen that there is nobody in front of me?!'
He uses this chance to look for potential enemies.
Spot / Listen
[roll0]
[roll1]

[Elysian Blade]

Alexander decides to walk next to simon because he wants someone near him once the fighting goes down.

spot [roll0] + 6 [26]
Listen [roll1] +6 [17]
Forgot I have bonuses

edit: wow

[theterran]

Douglass slows slightly to let the others maneuver beside him, not wanting to be out in the lead alone, especially considering he's not getting paid for this endeavor...

[ben-zayb]

The young warrior paces himself so that he could keep guarding his employer.

[drack]

Round 10
(7 rounds of smoke for people in the front)
(6 rounds of smoke for everyone behind the horse)
(5 rounds of smoke for everyone behind the mules)

OOC: considering it a bit I think I'm gonna make the DC a flat 15 for this encounter... :smallconfused: Blame it on a breeze or some such.

Santiago, bravely leading the party into the great unknown
[roll0]-
[roll1]-
[roll2]*
[roll3]-
[roll4]-
[roll5]*
[roll6]-
Douglass Simon and alexander close behind
douglass
[roll7]-
[roll8]-
[roll9]*
[roll10]-
[roll11]-
[roll12]*
[roll13]-
Simon
[roll14]-
[roll15]-
[roll16]*
[roll17]-
[roll18]-
[roll19]*
[roll20]-
Alexander
[roll21]-
[roll22]-
[roll23]*
[roll24]-
[roll25]-
[roll26]*
[roll27]-
The noble horse
[roll28]-
[roll29]-
[roll30]*
[roll31]-
[roll32]-
[roll33]*
A St Bernard named Blint
[roll34]-
[roll35]-
[roll36]*
[roll37]-
[roll38]-
[roll39]*
donkey
[roll40]-
[roll41]-
[roll42]*
[roll43]-
[roll44]-
[roll45]*
Seran Rivers
[roll46]-
[roll47]-
[roll48]*
[roll49]-
[roll50]-
[roll51]*
Faelyn (free pass on one if lex chooses to use the water)
[roll52]-
[roll53]-
[roll54]*
[roll55]-
[roll56]-
[roll57]*
Mule#1
[roll58]-
[roll59]-
[roll60]*
[roll61]-
[roll62]-
[roll63]*
Mule#2
[roll64]-
[roll65]-
[roll66]*
[roll67]-
[roll68]-
[roll69]*
Ryuuhei
[roll70]-
[roll71]-
[roll72]*
[roll73]-
[roll74]-
Doddlehop (private)
Cassie
[roll75]-
[roll76]-
[roll77]*
[roll78]-
[roll79]-
Crail
[roll80]-
[roll81]-
[roll82]*
[roll83]-
[roll84]-
Josie
[roll85]-
[roll86]-
[roll87]*
[roll88]-
[roll89]-
Rage Mule
[roll90]-
[roll91]-
[roll92]*
[roll93]-
[roll94]-

*1 [roll95]
*2 [roll96]

Map updated
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AqrKlOMj1BaLdHEtWlQ0NGR4ZlR4U0VoMGpvaHZBW Gc&usp=drive_web&authkey=CJHe4LoO&authkey=CJHe4LoO#gid=5

The dark smoke presses in oppressively, yet through the haze you catch sight of some refuse that has fallen out into the street.

Jossie, breathing the dark smoke is finally pushed to his limit, collapses unconscious amidst the group.

[Archmage1]

The ragemule, looking at Josie like he was a wimp, snorts, and grabs his arm with his teeth, dragging him along.

Simon, coughing, heads towards the rubble in the street.

[drack]

As you pass by it, you notice that down an alleyway bare of flames and structure alike, what looks to be a burning zombie is fighting against a swarm of black birds.

[Archmage1]

"The undead did get here. Looks like some carrion eaters are taking revenge. We need to get through, and quickly, before more turn up."

[BelGareth]

Santiago leads the way attempting to encourage his companions further....but fumble slightly, coughing and hacking to the point where he hurts himself.

He makes sure to be radiating his healing aura, just in case.


Fast healing 1 up to half

[Elysian Blade]

Alexander coughs a little not liking it he moves part of his shirt to help with part of the smoke as he moves through the smoke after simon.

[ben-zayb]

Ryuuhei trudges on with the rest, using sheer physical resilience against the thick and noxious smoke.

[Lexin]

Faelyn continues to walk through the burning town with the group, a waterskin full of water in his hand, in case he needs to put out any fires (on himself).

[theterran]

Douglass plods along, praying that whatever burned this village has long since gone.

[drack]

Doddlehop unteathers one of the mules and the NPCs move on. The cart slides forward slightly and everyone makes fort saves against smoke.

We can do fort saves retroactively later :smallsigh:

[drack]

As the cart rolls on a wall begins to come into view beyond the bend.

[Princess Tari]

Cassie just keeps walking next to doddlehop

[Lexin]

Faelyn feels extreme resignation as he walks closer to the wooden barrier, he stares at it for a moment with really sad eyes... and starts punching.


2 attacks/ turn
(1d6+4 bludgeoning + 1d6 acid) each.

He punches (and moves away the rubble) until there is enough of a hole to ride through with the cart.
Edit: He chooses the places not currently on fire...

[drack]

Lexin

As you approach you notice a side passage.

[Lexin]

Drack
Faelyn brightens with happiness as an alternative appears by itself. He decides to check the passage.
Major points:
- amount of fire
- amount of potential enemies
- can the cart go through
- chance that buildings will fall on the group and bury them in burning debris

[drack]

Lexin

-Seems to be clear of fire for the moment from where you stand
-You see no enemies from where you stand
-large creatures can fit through 5' spaces so long as they only take move actions (no attacks and such)
-buildings seem unlikely to collapse in the next minuet, though you haven't the knowledge architecture to know exactly when they might fall.

[Lexin]

Faelyn looks back at the group and shouts.

"Hey, there is a passage here! Even the cart will be able to go through!"

[Archmage1]

"In that case, what are we waiting for?"
Simon starts heading towards the passage.

[Lexin]

"Umm... For the cart?" Faelyn asks back, not too brightly...

[drack]

Still letting you guys catch up for the last clump of rounds. :smalltongue:

[Archmage1]

"No reason not to take a look then. The cart can be here in a few more seconds."

[drack]

As Faylin steps around the bend he notices, at the end of the alleyway you see a man standing, sullenly looking back at you. His body is engulfed in flames, and his skin long since blackened, but as you glance down the alleyway, you notice him shift slightly, eyes hollow, empty but for an emberous glow.

Everyone may use their current map location as, have they not yet moved after this long, it must have been by intent. :smalltongue:

Consulting the extra initiative lineup rolled before...

Ryuuhei: 26
Faelyn: 19
Crail: 14
Douglas: 12
Santiago: 12
copperfield: 9
Burning man [roll0]
seran: 7
Casimir: 6
Simon: 5
McBane: 5
Galestorm: 2

[Lexin]

Do we post in initiative?

This one is out of initiative:
"Huh! There is a burning ma... zombie here!"

[Archmage1]

"Well, if we want to get through here, we need to get it out."

[drack]

OOC

Block initiative, so anyone above the burning man may go first.

[Elysian Blade]

Alexander impatient moves at the zombie taking a powerful swing at him.
attack[roll0]
dmg [roll1]

edit - ouch

[ben-zayb]

Upon hearing his comrade's warning, Ryuuhei hustled into a position nearest his employer.

[Lexin]

Faelyn walks into the passage, getting closer to the flaming zombie, preparing for a charge. (either to receive on, or to charge himself)

I moved him on the map (2 move actions worth of movement)

[drack]

The zombie watches as Faelyn approaches, molten hot knuckles bristling and cracking as it does so, getting ready for... something. :smallamused:

[Archmage1]

Simon shakes his head, pulls out his morningstar, and heads down the narrow, hot, passage.

[drack]

The NPCs charge the alleyway with the exception of Crail who stays back at the mouth of it in case his talents are needed, and doddlehop who finds himself stuck in traffic with the mules.

[Lexin]

Faelyn experiences a sudden rush of hunches and other feelings.
First, he is grateful that there is someone standing between him and the enemy.
Second, he is confused, how, even for a second, could he think that attacking a burning enemy with his bare fists could be considered a good idea.

Then another idea strikes him! (and painfully stabs his left leg) - Javelins!
He knew there was a reason he carried these around!

... now... how exactly did he use them...
Attack [roll0]
Damage [roll1]

... not like that, it would seem... he thinks, staring at the javelin struck in the nearest wall...

[drack]

The Javalin flies into the wall behind the zombie, who continues to stare, waiting...

[Lexin]

"Well... I got 2 more tries..." he says more to reassure himself than anybody else.

[ben-zayb]

Still feeling uneasy about leaving Doddlehop behind with a violent lass and a disgruntled mercenary, Ryuuhei advances in a position within his former's line of sight.

Finally seeing the narrow passage ahead of them and the undead blocking their way, Ryuuhei quickly draws his fallen comrade's bow and prepares to fire.

Double move, and drawing his ranged weapon as part of second movement.

Figured melee combat would be difficult considering the tight space.:smallbiggrin:

[Elysian Blade]

Alexander shrugs just one they can go at it.

[drack]

In a sudden flurry of movement the flaming zombie charges forward, it's long arm swooping just over the dog's head.

attack [roll0]
damage [roll1]
more damage [roll2]

The other NPCs run forwards.

[Archmage1]

Simon sighs, putting his morningstar away, and pulls out his light crossbow, loading it. It might not be the best weapon against a zombie, but it was certainly better than none.

[ben-zayb]

Hanmaru Ryuuhei - Level 1 - Human Warblade
Male Chaotic Good
Init +7, HP 9/14, Speed 30 ft
AC 1513, Touch 13, Flat-footed 12, Fort +4, Ref +3, Will -3, Base Attack Bonus +1
Bastard Sword +4 (1d10+4, 19-20/x2)
Short Sword +4 (1d6+3, 19-20/x2)
Shortbow (Arrows (100)) +4 (1d6, x3)
Leather (+2 Armor, +3 Dex)
Abilities Str 17, Dex 16, Con 15, Int 8, Wis 4, Cha 8
Condition None
Balance +7, Jump +7, Tumble +7, Concentration +6
Maneuvers and Stances Steel Wind, Steely Strike, Sapphire Nightmare Blade, Punishing Stance1

"This monstrosities won't trouble us for long... Just watch," Ryuuhei confidently claimed.

Ryuuhei crept closer still towards the enemy, but just enough to keep sight of Doddlehop.Move Action: moving closer to the narrow passage, within LoS of Doddlehop
Standard Action: ranged attack (-4 melee penalty)
Attack: [roll0]; Damage: [roll1]

[Elysian Blade]

Alexander runs as fast as he can to help being bored in the back.

[Princess Tari]

Cassie just sits down next to doddlehop giving him a scythe and drawing another for herself.

[Lexin]

Faelyn once again tries to attack the zombie with a javelin. He quietly prays for divine intervention, so this time he actually hits his target.
Attack [roll0]
damage [roll1]

[theterran]

Seeing the others run down the alleyway to confront...something...Douglass guides his horse to the mouth of the alley, drawing a knife in his free hand in case they need backup.

[drack]

Enraged the zombie swings once more, it's crystallized flesh crunching disturbingly as an arm catches little Blint in the side.
Rolling first to look less silly.
[roll0]
[roll1]+[roll2]

As the dog collapses, the donkey continues running forward spured by more fears, only to halt suddenly when it find's itself face to face with a being consumed by the one thing it was trying to escape. Fire!

[Archmage1]

Simon, ready at last, fires his crossbow at the zombie, then reloads it, wondering how the cart was going to fit down this narrow passage.

[roll0](-4 firing into melee applied)
[roll1]
He swears as the shot goes wide. Perhaps he needs to spend some time practicing his aim a bit...

[ben-zayb]

Hanmaru Ryuuhei - Level 1 - Human Warblade
Male Chaotic Good
Init +7, HP 11/14, Speed 30 ft
AC 1513, Touch 13, Flat-footed 12, Fort +4, Ref +3, Will -3, Base Attack Bonus +1
Bastard Sword +4 (1d10+4, 19-20/x2)
Short Sword +4 (1d6+3, 19-20/x2)
Shortbow (Arrows (100)) +4 (1d6, x3)
Leather (+2 Armor, +3 Dex)
Abilities Str 17, Dex 16, Con 15, Int 8, Wis 4, Cha 8
Condition None
Balance +7, Jump +7, Tumble +7, Concentration +6
Maneuvers and Stances Steel Wind, Steely Strike, Sapphire Nightmare Blade, Punishing Stance1
Ryuuhei steadies his aim once again, and fires at the flaming zombie's head.Standard Action: ranged attack (-4 melee penalty)
Attack: [roll0]; Damage: [roll1][/QUOTE]

[drack]

The Arrow strikes the zombie vanishing into the flames that consume it. The zombie stumbles slightly under the impact, stumbling backward, it's boot catching Blint in the process.

attack[roll0]
damage[roll1]
damage[roll2]

The donkey, glimpsing an opportunity bolts past the zombie turning sharply to avoid the flames once more, charging past the flaming zombie in an attempt to once more be away from the flames.

attack[roll3]
damage[roll4]
damage[roll5]

[Archmage1]

Once more, Simon fires his crossbow at the zombie, then reloads it.

[roll0](-4 firing into melee applied)
[roll1]

Apparently, however, the intense heat has managed to warp his crossbow or something, as the bolt leaves the bow with considerable force... but goes nowhere the zombie, finding the sky to be a far more interesting place to see.

[drack]

The bolt catches josie in the back who crumples unconscious.

[Archmage1]

Simon watches as his bolt launches into the sky, before it pauses, evidently having a mind of its own, and heads down, pausing once more in front of him, before flying at Josie with a gleeful smile.

Not... what I expected. At least we will have less dead weight... if we leave him behind.

[Lexin]

Faelyn follows the bolt with his eyes, a little creeped out by the apparent murderous intent of the inanimate item... but he shakes off the feeling deciding to deal with the flaming zombie first, and think about the nature of life much later...

He steps to the side, leaving enough space for others to run through the passage and shouts: "Go! Run through! I will try to stop him!".
He waits till the last moment, and passes by the zombie himself, just before it caught balance... he tries to hit it, hoping for the best, and preparing to run away himself after this (stupid) display of heroic tendencies.

As I mentioned earlier, Faelyn would let others run past him, then take few steps forward and attack once.

Attack [roll0]
Damage [roll1] bludgeoning + [roll2] Acid
... and hopefully Trip! (if it hits) [roll3]

[drack]

The attack hits shattering an arm along with half the torso. As the glass from the zombies crystallized flesh explodes, shards tear their way across your face.
[roll0] slashing damage
fort saves to determine additional effects.
[roll1]
[roll2]
Trip on the remaining half a zombie
[roll3] (gonna need to double check that I did this right.)
Edit: nope, +2, not 3, still resists though

The Half a zombie grabs at the wall of an adjacent building to steady itself oblivious to it's loss

[Archmage1]

Simon takes another shot, reloading his crossbow again.

[roll0]
[roll1]
:smallfrown:
Apparently, I get another 1...
Sorry.

[drack]

As the second bolt strikes, the already unconcious josie dies.

[Archmage1]

Simon watches, pleased as his bolt flies true towards the zombie, until it stops, milimeters from the zombie's putrid left eye, and backs up. Sadly, that wasn't the worst of it. It reverses slightly, before it turns around, seeking the fallen body of Josie.
All he can do is look on in amazement.
"Did he have something that attracts bolts? These bolts of mine... they have no magic... I got them in a small village!"

[Archmage1]

Watching the zombie just stand there, and doing nothing, Simon fires his crossbow, wondering if his bolts would continue to home, and if his paralyzed companions would do something.

[roll0] attack
[roll]1d8[/roll[


After all, you did say that we couls skip NPC's after a week...

[drack]

OOC:
17th is when the NPCs began, so you're 5 days early. :smalltongue: I too am curious who's still here though. :smallconfused:

Sean charges the zombie, the zombie attacks sean.


[roll]1d6-2

[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]

Sean collapses.

As the crossbow bolt contacts the zombie, the remaining half shatters to lie on the ground.

[Archmage1]

Seeing the zombie fall, Simon cries out to the group.
"Ok, loot the dead, and lets get moving down the passage, and hope the cart can fit."

Simon heads down the passage, hoping to acquire Josie's crossbow, as well as any gold that he might have, before heading further down, and seeing if anything had survived the burning of the zombie.

[Lexin]

Faelyn decides to use tactic # 2241 - Running Away as fast as possible.
(this variation includes stopping at the corners to look for enemies and 3 second pauses at intersections to choose the safer path...)

[Archmage1]

Simon calls the cart to him, and starts loading the fallen onto it, for later looting.

[drack]

OOC: Using GM fait to give cart 30' movement speed for this village, this is getting ridiculous after all. :smallcool:
Map updated to leave running away room.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AqrKlOMj1BaLdHEtWlQ0NGR4ZlR4U0VoMGpvaHZBW Gc&usp=drive_web&authkey=CJHe4LoO&authkey=CJHe4LoO#gid=5

[Archmage1]

While the cart comes, and the other survivors come up, Simon tries to break down the wall next to him, as he can see the occasional glimpse of open space through it.

[roll0] damage

[ben-zayb]

With the undead being destroyed, Ryuuhei signals his employer that it's safe to go forward. He then moves just slightly ahead of the latter.

[drack]

The NPCs rush forward to recapture the donkey and crail casts cure light wounds on faylin [roll0]

[Archmage1]

Once the body of the fallen is loaded, Simon quickly searches the fallen flaming zombie, hoping it had a pouch or some such, before calling back.
"The way ahead is on fire, but it is the only way we can go."

[drack]

Doddlehop moves to help load the last (party member/human/potentially bearing loot) corpse into the wagon. The the party members towards the rear attempt to keep up with the group as the flames continue to burn onward across the priceless carpet.

[Archmage1]

Having moved up to near the front, Simon, seeing no other alternative, tries to move across the flames, knowing that this was going to hurt. A lot.

[roll0] damage taken

...

and... he collapses into the flames, overwhelmed by the heat and flames.

[ben-zayb]

Upon seeing his ally fall unconscious, Ryuuhei dashes forward and carries the latter away from the burning ruins.

Basing it on the Move a Heavy Object option here (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/rg/20040618a). As long as Simon's weight is below my max heavy load, that would be equivalent to 1 move action at full speed, right?

Ryuuhei's Fortitude save (if needed) [roll0] and Fire Damage (if applies) [roll1]

[drack]

Since you two seem to be the only ones here at the moment... It's tomorrow (for archmage's timezone, dunno about the rest of you) somewhere!

Next round
(and yes fire damage applies. There's a DC 13 reflex save to have you not burn the next round, but I havn't been enforcing it since you may all have plenty of pain by the end. :smalltongue:)

The fire continues to burn across the priceless carpet.
The other NPCs run through the fire to safety!
donkey [roll0]
CG [roll1]
AA [roll2]
CU [roll3]
Sa [roll4]
The cart is still on the other side about to cross later.

The donkey collapses in the flames along with Cassie and Alexander. Crail and Santiago manage to salvage their chard corpses for the cart

[ben-zayb]

The rescue went as successful as could be, except the boy is now set aflame along with Simon. After getting Simon within Crail's range, he begs them to aid Simon, as he then rolls on the ground to extinguish the flames on his own body.

OOC: Can't access GDocs for now.

[drack]

Eh, not bothering with flames. Truth is there are enough of you that enough will pass the save to put them out on anyone who didn't. :smalltongue:

[drack]

Crail runs over to cast cure light wounds on simon's unconscious form.

[roll0]

The remaining NPCs (excluding rage mule) cross the flames

Horse [roll1]
Mule 1 [roll2]
Mule 2 [roll3]
Doddlehop (on a mule) [roll4]
Douglass [roll5]
cart don't wanna have to deal with this.

The Flames continue to burn through the priceless carpet

Letting ben retrospectively get out of the way

Santagro weaves through some of the burning debris.

[Archmage1]

The ragemule, seeing the flames, just glares at them. With a whimper, the flames in front of it go out, terrified of the creature.
It then calmly walks across. Alas, this effort on its part gave it a headache, as it has been glaring too much lately.


[roll0] damage
[roll1] simon's stabilization check

[ben-zayb]

The boy chose to continue dragging Simon out of the burning area. , fearing that the angry mule will not recognize its unconscious master.

I could easily view GDocs, just that it takes a bazillion years to edit due to poor tab interface.:smallbiggrin:

[drack]

Crail pulls simon's half unconcious corpse from the flames, expending the last of his energies to heal the man's wounds

Cure minor wounds! +1HP!
Having done so he gestures towards the rage mule coughing from the smoke as he suggests that simon ride it if even haphazardly to avoid further complicating his health conditions. :smalltongue:

Meanwhile the NPCs move to congest the walkways.
tab interface?

[Archmage1]

Simon, healed once again, struggles to stand, and looks at the rage mule as Crail gestures to it.
Around the mule, the smoke seems to flee from its glare. When it notices Simon looking at it, it transfers that glare to him, an almost palpable message.
Simon gets the feeling that if the mule could speak, it would say this:
"You've got to be joking."
But... a mule can't talk, but Simon shakes his head.
"No, I don't think so. I'll walk, while I still can."
Staggering a bit, he continues moving with the cart, clearly in no condition to fight, with a small glass vial near at hand.

[ben-zayb]

With Simon's reunion with the world of consciousness and the efficient mule, Ryuuhei goes towards the visible path ahead.

That would be at (CC,25). :smallwink:

[drack]

As you round the bend your eyes are met with the sweet sight of the dark forest beyond, and a straight path to it. Then as your eyes turn down you notice that in the remaining flames are two more of the foul undeads, silently staring at you.

Faylin dashes through the flames [roll0]
The NPCs move forward
The flames continue to burn forth

[drack]

Mule#2 heroically runs into the flames pulling faylin onto it's back from the flames.

Fire damage on mule#2
[roll0]
Fire damage in the next round to see if said mule survives
[roll1]

[Archmage1]

Seeing the mule staggering in the heat, the RageMule runs over, and glares at the fire, which seems to move away from the mule in fear.

The Ragemule then calmly pulls the collapsed mule out of the fire, and glares at Simon.

[roll0] damage taken.
Mule does not die(Yet)

[ben-zayb]

Ryuuhei wipes the sweat off his forehead with soot-stained sleeve, wondering if the images before him are just mere figments caused by the burning heat.

Still, he figures it's better to take caution than risk losing more company...

"Two undead straight ahead!", he warns.

[drack]

Santagro and the horse charge one of the zombies as douglass and crail prepare to have a go at the other.

horse [roll0]
santagro [roll1]

... bel deleted santagro's sheet... guess I'll assume that he dies this round and does
[roll2]
[roll3]

horse
[roll4]
[roll5]

Zombie attacks santagro [roll6]
[roll7]
[roll8]

The zombie's torso shatters, it's remaining legs however remain standing and attempt to kick santagro back into the flames, swinking a foot short of the man.

[Archmage1]

The RageMule casually picks up the fallen mule, holding it in his teeth, and Faelyn, casually flipping him up onto the fallen mule, before heading back to the group.

Simon, sighing, drinks his most valuable possession, his potion of healing.

[Archmage1]

As the mule approaches the cart once more, he glares at Doddlehop, making it quite clear that healing was required for the fallen mule.

[ben-zayb]

Ryuuhei, impetuous as he is, realizes that the improbable destruction of the undead in one charge isn't worth the risk of catching and being distracted by the flames. He then decides to stand his ground alongside the dwarven cleric and the suspicious stranger, ready to strike at the zombie should it choose to head their way.

Hmm... with wheat, flour, and ale, we could make the fire worse. We have holy water, but I'm not sure if Ryuuhei is smart enough to identify the liquid or know of its effectiveness. For him, those two flasks are for dousing himself when the situation arises.:smallwink:

Anyway, while Ryuuhei is a bit of an idiot, if push comes to the shove basic survival instincts would definitely kick in to save his ass.

EDIT: ACTIONS
Swift: activate Punishing Stance
Move: movement
Standard: ready action to initiate Steely Strike once the Zombie gets within striking range

[Lexin]

Faelyn, half burned to death, wobbles on his feet, and looks around with an unfocused stare.

"Does anyone mind me riding a mule or something... I feel a little..." he never finishes this sentence.

[drack]

The horse continues to lash at the topless zombie

[roll0]
[roll1]

fire: [roll2]

The zombie retaliates, attempting to kick the horse

[roll3]
[roll4]
[roll5]

Douglass throws a dagger at the uninjured zombie

[roll6]
[roll7]

Crail charges the same zombie, brandishing his morningstar

fire [roll8]
[roll9]
[roll10]

The zombie attempts to claw at crail

[roll11]
[roll12]
[roll13]

Doddlehop glances skeptically at the odd mule that, after heroically saving one of his own mules, was now starring at him like a mindless beast awaiting orders. "Go help them." he provides helpfully.


The horse collapses, consumed in flames, it's heavy hooves chipping the remainder of the zombie's form, but not quite finishing it.

[Archmage1]

The RageMule snorts disdainfully, before looking at Doddlehop's cart, and then at the fallen mule.

Simon continues healing, once more firing his crossbow at the injured zombie.
[roll0]
[roll1]

[ben-zayb]

Ryuuhei maneuvers himself near the dwarf while being outside the topless zombie's reach, and then makes a quick but focused slash against the undead before him.

Move: movement to (CI,22) assuming Crail is at (CI,23) after charging
Standard: initiating Steely Strike, Power Attack for 1
Attack: [roll0] Damage: [roll1]+[roll2]

Swift: turn Punishing Stance off

[drack]

Douglass throws a dagger at the feet of the torso-less corpse
crail attacks the second zombie with his morningstar

[roll0]
[roll1]

The two zombies attack crail.

[roll2]
[roll3]
[roll4]
[roll5]
[roll6]
[roll7]

Crail's body is torn limb from limb, and douglass rushes forth to take his place.
Doddlehop turns his eye from the strange mule to the battle before him, and with a rather audible sigh of regret, he instructs the first mule to turn the cart around, and drops his precious keg of ale over the raging flames.

[Archmage1]

The Ragemule, unaccustomed to being ignored, shakes his head, and stamps his foot as Doddlehop moves on, but then he sees the effects of the ale keg, and calms down.

Simon, too, looks up as the keg of ale is dumped, firing off another useless bolt at the injured zombie.
[roll0]
[roll1]

[Lexin]

Faelyn, half conscious follows others. He manages to walk up to Doddlehop's cart before feeling sharp pain in his abdomen. ... and pretty much everywhere else...
For some weird reason he can smell Ale. Maybe he was one foot in Valhalla already?
Weird, he always thought he would get to one of these elven, foresty heavens. They are supposed to drink mead there...

0 hp means only one move action per round. Yay!

[ben-zayb]

The watery liquor washes over the boy's burned arm, momentarily mitigating the pain. Ryuuhei then looks for an opening to attack the undead near him, before finally retreating.

Swift: activate Punishing Stance
Standard: attack (power attack for 1)
Attack: [roll0]; Damage: [roll1]+[roll2]

Sprinting away would be a totally valid option in a survival game, but protecting the trade goods seems to be the priority here... so far.:smallcool:

[drack]

Douglass swings at the remnants of the lesser zombie

[roll0]
[roll1]

The zombies similarly attack douglass

[roll2]
[roll3]
[roll4]
if it survives
[roll5]
[roll6]
[roll7]

Doddlehop meanwhile manages to maneuver the cart to face the right way, as he instructs the ragemule to go do something about the zombies.
The zombie survives, the blade rebounding off the zombie's flesh that had already crystalized in the flame, though both miss douglass.

[Archmage1]

Simon, once more, loads and fires his crossbow, stepping forwards, while the ragemule places the fallen mule on the cart, which groans... but hopefully, the removal of the ale makes it light enough that the poor mule can get a ride.

[roll0]
[roll1]

[ben-zayb]

Just after regaining his balance, the young warrior leapfrogs into the fray once again, wildly swinging his katana at both zombies...

Move: move (square below Douglass)
Standard: initiating Steel Wind against Z2 and Z3, Power Attack for 1
Z2: Attack: [roll0]; Damage: [roll1]+[roll2]
Z3: Attack: [roll3]; Damage: [roll4]+[roll5]

Ryuuhei is the epitome of BSF of all my BSF PCs :smallamused:

[drack]

The bolt flies through where the zombie's head was. The young warrior meanwhile sweeps f the legs off the uninjured zombie, chopping them off at the knee.

Douglass meanwhile drops his longsword to pick up the morningstar Santiago dropped, swinging it at the injured zombie, shattering the remainder of it's body.

[roll0]
[roll1]

The zombies continue to attack douglass

[roll2]
[roll3]
[roll4]
If not already dead:
[roll5]
[roll6]
[roll7]

[Archmage1]

Feeling better as his potion does its work, Simon puts the crossbow back in its holster, and draws his morningstar, moving forwards as he does so.

[ben-zayb]

Ryuuhei's successful attack boosts his confidence considerably. He recomposes himself, and with a split-second moment of zen attempts a perfectly timed attack.

Standard: initiate Sapphire Nightmare Blade, PA for 1
Attack: [roll0]; Damage: [roll1]+[roll2](Stance)+[roll3](Strike)

[ben-zayb]

Concentration: [roll0]

I missed, but I also forgot to make the skill check. So there you go.:smallcool:

[drack]

Doddlehop manages to climb atop his mule before falling unconscious

Douglass cleaves the remaining zombie i half before calmly shiething his bloodied sword.

[roll0]
[roll1]

The zombie falls to pieces

[roll2]
[roll3]
[roll4]

the mule plods on ignoring the ruckus.

[Archmage1]

Simon moves up, before succumbing to the smoke, and coughing quite a lot.

The Ragemule, though, coughs away merrily this round.

[ben-zayb]

Ryuuhei picks up the dwarf and carefully places him atop the angry mule. The boy hoped that the direness of the situation is enough for the mule to be considerate.

At a certain point, the surge of vigor brought by immediate danger will die down and the pain in his body will finally rear its ugly head, but he was thankful that this isn't yet the time.

[Lexin]

Faelyn continues his slow walk towards safety. (through the alley surrounded by raging fire and the smell of Ale...)

[drack]

Doddlehop's cart continues to plod on.

[ben-zayb]

Ryuuhei trudges on amidst the noxious fumes.

So since we're doing this "every three rounds" thing and I've already spent 3 move actions hauling Crail, I'll move Ryuuhei as far as possible with the 3 remaining move actions.

He then spends the next round (first from the new set of rounds that need fort saves) catching up to Doddlehop.

[drack]

As you all hobble out of the flames, you are engulfed in the cool darkness of night once more. Up above you hear the cawing of the crows, and within the flames you swear you can still see forms shifting, but the cool clear air refreshes you, helping to push such thoughts from your mind, and by morning the town is far from sight.

"What the hells is happening here?!" Doddlehop exclaims at last. "One, one town I might understand, but three?!"

[Archmage1]

Simon coughs for a bit, clearing his lungs, before he tries to answer, his voice sounding like a long time smoker's voice.
"Reinforcements. A necromancer is building an army. One that I don't intend to join. We should keep moving. How much further to the path back to the walled town?"

[drack]

Doddlehop sighs. "Up ahead the path rejoins a proper road in a day or two. That road can go south back to the empire where in five days we can be behind a sturdy wall, or north seven days to one of the savage goblinoid cities. Four days to the north the road branches to a goblinoid outpost on higher ground from which we could probably see what's going on here. On the road south, two days in the road curves back to a small thorp."

[Archmage1]

"I'm thinking we want to go south. Bandits, I expected. Hordes of the undead, not so much."

[Lexin]

"Are the goblinoids the friendly kind, or the usual bloodthirsty little monsters?" asks Faelyn wobbling on his feet.

"Anyway, thick walls sound very good. I like walls. They are unappreciated sentinels of our lives." he says with cloudy eyes and absent smile.

"Can you smell it? I think someone fried something too long..." *pause* "... ah, no, false alarm, it is just me..."


Do we still have Douglas, or some other source of healing, so Faelyn gets above his precious 0 hp?

[drack]

"Well..." Doddlehop pauses thinking. "I've heard from other merchants that the goblins aren't quite as savage as many other humans may claim, but they are much like bandits in their own way. To put it simply, in their society, the strong is right. That said the goblinoid outpost is likely defensible as well and would likely offer a better lay of the lands. Still if worst came to worst they may be hostile."

Douglass lives, you recover from any smoke damage and heal 1HP as OOC says, and no other healing besides any potions or magic items lying about.

[ben-zayb]

The dreamworld had been a hospitable refuge for Ryuuhei, who once again dreamt of his beloved. After reality came knocking back, Ryuuhei weakly responds.

"What worries me is that we're not exactly on the "strong" side of the conflict... not after being nearly wiped out last night. A surer, safer route would be better, if my opinion is of importance."Unless we're recruiting Goblinoids, which may not be that bad of an idea.

[drack]

Doddlehop, seeing some wisdom in this course of action agrees. The following morning he gives the four survives each five silver pieces, and helps the mule, that can now walk on it's own again, off of the wagon.

+350xp each for surviving
Also removing people from the table soon, so if you're looting the dead mark in down in your list archmage...

Two days pass without much incident, and you find yourselves at at the crossroad. Earlier you note the crows from before going to the northeast.
In two days people heal 2HP in two days doddlehop also pays everyone 2sp for safty
Assuming you're still going south

After two more days travel (and 2 more HP recovered, and 2 more silver each), your group comes across a strange sight. At the next crossroads (the one that leads to another such thorp), you notice two people limping along, one with a bandaged stump in place of a leg, and a walking stick, the others back soaked through with blood, and behind them two men in dark cowls seem to be talking with each other. The two seem to be calm and walking at a calm restive pace to match the hurried limps of the injured men.

[Archmage1]

Simon walks along, having finished stripping the fallen(and casually dumping the corpses just off the road), thinking.
This... has been a lot more dangerous than what I was thinking... but will it stay dangerous... To stay, or not to stay... No reason to not stay for now, though.

As they head down the southern road, Simon notes the men, as he clanks along, but he makes no attempt to approach them.

[ben-zayb]

Aside from that one moment when he had a heated exchange with Simon concerning the shoddy treatment of their comrade's corpses, Ryuuhei found himself appreciating the extended moment of peace for the past four days. Whatever fear, doubt, or frustation that he felt about his abilities, he made up for with more practice during their resting time.

As they head down another crossroad, Ryuuhei exchanged glances with the rest of the group. "Remember that last time we successfully gave aid? Neither do I.", he whispers.

[drack]

As the four of them draw close, it becomes apparent that the cowled men are bickering about something. Taking notice of you, they stop and hasted their stride a bit, not quite overtaking the two limping men. As one speaks, the other cuts in as if hopping to get to the point faster, or fill in missing details.
"Excuse me fair gents, but my friend and I were having a bit of an argument," "or a conversation," "or a friendly chat." "And we were wondering if you" "Could help us resolve it." "You see, We're-" "We're debating the meaning of death, and can't quite agree on what it might be." "What do you think?"
Doddlehop shrugs as if it doesn't concern him. "Maybe there is no meaning."
"No, no, couldn't be that." "Why of course not, there has to be a meaning right?" "Why I cannot fathom a single reason there wouldn't be!"
The mules glance over with their beady eyes as if to say something really intellectual... either that or their attention was momentarily drawn by the noise before they lost interest.
"No, no" "not that either." "It's so..." "anticlimactic and naive."

The personified mules snort. :smalltongue:

[Archmage1]

Simon shrugs.
"You live, then you die. What more do you want to know? What happens after death? Speak to a priest."

[Lexin]

"Go north. There is a lot dead people walking around. Ask them, they have experience in the matter." says Faelyn at the same time.

[drack]

No, no no! "We've asked the dead!" "And they tell us nothing!" "They whine that they had wished for eternal bliss and then found their souls on a rack in hell!" "They complain that it wasn't their time, that they still had more to do, to see their children grow old!" "They endlessly babble of things they've seen or done." "But what is the meaning of it all?!"

About them the grass sways almost unnaturally, and you note several of the zombified birds cawing above, the sort you had seen in the first town that was sacked.

[ben-zayb]

"Oh, [REDACTED]!!! It's those abominations again!", Ryuuhei blurts out as he looks up above.

"Talking with the dead isn't our business, sirs. Please leave us be."

[drack]

"No, no, the dead are useless." the man replies, insanity creeping slightly into his words. "It's the living we seek to ask, no matter how many we must go through."

[Archmage1]

Simon pulls out his morningstar, and prepares to charge one of the strange men.
"What do you know about the undead in the area?"


Ready partial charge, trigger them being offensive

[drack]

"Which ones? If you haven't noticed there are quite a few these days?" "Oh, hows about this, we answer questions, and in return you tell us pieces of the puzzle to finding the meaning of death!"

[Archmage1]

Simon shrugs.
"There is no meaning. You die, then you go to your gods... or to the abyss. As for which ones, why don't we start with the crows."

[drack]

The limping villagers, presumably from the thorp the road leads to, hobble past your caravan.

"No, no, no. There must be a meaning to it all." the other, quite insulted points to the bird proudly declaring "These are not crows, these are ravens, a symbol of knowledge and arcane lore that arises from examining the world and pursuing it's mysteries. Why dead they symbolize much the same, but instead they symbolize such knowledge of death." The first, quite distracted by the birds adds energetically "And as part of this search for knowledge we're seeking the meaning of death. Now are you going to help us or not?"
At this a number of skeletal frogs, perhaps ten or so hop free from the tall grasses.

[Archmage1]

"I am indeed."
Without another word, Simon charges in, hoping to take them out before they can command their undead to attack.

[roll0] attack
[roll1] damage
AC 15

[Lexin]

Faelyn walks closer intending to ask more questions... and he stays there with a shocked look on his face as he sees Simon charging the freaks.

[ben-zayb]

Ryuuhei was about to Doddlehop not to waste any more time with the possibly insane men, but Simon's sudden hostility caught him off guard.

[drack]

Why... Why did you break it! one of the necromancers exclaims, while the other warrns "They don't like being broken..."

The skeletal frogs approach simon at their renowned 5'/round speed.

[roll0] hits on a 20
[roll1]
[roll2]
each for 1 damage. :smalltongue:

[Archmage1]

Simon tries to take out another frog, the one between him and the necromancers.


Attacking Q 29
[roll0]
[roll1]



He moves forwards, shaking his head.
"You killed all those people, and reanimated them, all in an effort to understand death? Like all such changes, it can only be understood by taking the path yourself. Here, let me help you..."
(Moves to o 32)

[drack]

"No, no, we tried that." One lowers his cowl to reveal a punctured jugular, and the other rolls up his sleeve to reveal a slit wrist. "It didn't give us an answer." "Though it was quite relaxing." "It was that, though mine was a bit violent."
"Not an answer to the meaning of death all things said though."
Indeed.

[Archmage1]

"If you're still here, you didn't do it right."

[drack]

How could we stay dead with so much regret at not knowing this?!

[Archmage1]

"You gave up your chance to learn when you came back. After all, death is final."

[Archmage1]

Simon walks up, and whacks the closest necro.

[roll0]
[roll1]
can I swap those? :smallbiggrin:

[drack]

The two men collectively back away as the ravens swoop in, and the toads continue to chase you. "He seemed a bit adjitated didn't he?"
"Perhaps cool him off then?"
The second necromancer casts create water over your head to drench you in icy cold water and leave you dripping wet.

AoOs
[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]
[roll4]

[drack]

The birds peck at you

[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]

[ben-zayb]

Ryuuhei shouts at his ironclad comrade, reminding him of what his job is supposed to be. "Big man! They're not harming us or the caravan, so let's just be on our way lest they may decide to do so."

He himself knows that he'll be blindly charging anyone who's out to get them, but these eccentric folks, necromantic they may be, are yet to show any sign of intent to harm.

[Lexin]

"I doubt they would let us go without a fight now..." Faelyn says, fear and sorrow easily heard in his voice.

"Did you cause the appearance of the undead horde?!" he asks the probably-necromancers and moves closer to the frogs. He doesn't attack them just yet, but rather tries to find out if they are overall aggressive or just reacting to violence.

Move and total defense. (22 AC for the round)

[Archmage1]

Simon whacks B2
[roll0]
[roll1]

[drack]

The morning star goes over the necromancer's head.
AoOs

[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]

The undead ravens allow themselves to fall to the ground, and turn to attack the bad man.

[roll4]
[roll5]

The toads move to follow, provoking an AoO from Faylin
The Necromancers withdraw back to their swarm, unaccustomed to big men with maces attacking them.

[Archmage1]

Simon moves again, and takes another swing at B2

[roll0]
[roll1]

2 aoo...

[Lexin]

Faelyn sighs loudly.
"So be it." he says only and starts smacking the diminutive undead.


AoO vs Frog
Attack [roll0]
Damage [roll1] bludgeoning + [roll2] acid
then 5ft step and another 2 attacks, each vs a different frog/raven

Attack [roll3]
Damage [roll4] bludgeoning + [roll5] acid
Attack [roll6]
Damage [roll7] bludgeoning + [roll8] acid

[drack]

B2 dies
B1, seemingly as a reflex, raises his hand, reaching out with negative energy.

[roll0] touch attack on simon
[roll1]

Half the undeads go nuts and attempt to attack anything in the area.

Attacks on faylin
[roll2]
[roll3]
[roll4]
Attacks on simon
[roll5]
[roll6]
[roll7]
Attacks on B2
[roll8]
[roll9]

[Archmage1]

Easily avoiding the attack, Simon swings at B1, wanting to end this necromantic threat.

[roll0]
[roll1]

[ben-zayb]

"Well, that was a bit petty... You won't mind me just guarding you here, will you master?"
Move: near Doddlehop
Standard: ready an action to attack any undead who dare approach Ryuuhei or Doddlehop

[Lexin]

Faelyn tries to squash yet another frog.

Attack [roll0]
Damage [roll1] bludgeoning + [roll2] acid

Attack [roll3]
Damage [roll4] bludgeoning + [roll5] acid
vs the closest frog

If he kills it, he takes a 5ft step, closer to the next one

[drack]

Easily avoiding the attack, Simon swings at B1, wanting to end this necromantic threat.

[roll0]
[roll1]

The necromancer falls limply to the ground, and the swarm closes in on you.

"Well, that was a bit petty... You won't mind me just guarding you here, will you master?"
Move: near Doddlehop
Standard: ready an action to attack any undead who dare approach Ryuuhei or Doddlehop

Doddlehop nods vaguely, looking somewhat befuddled by this whole ordeal.

Faelyn tries to squash yet another frog.

Attack [roll0]
Damage [roll1] bludgeoning + [roll2] acid

Attack [roll3]
Damage [roll4] bludgeoning + [roll5] acid
vs the closest frog

If he kills it, he takes a 5ft step, closer to the next one

With the sickening crunch of bones the frog shatters.

the toads and ravens continue to attack.

faelyn
[roll0]
simon
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]
[roll4]
[roll5]
[roll6]
[roll7]
[roll8]
[roll9]

[Archmage1]

At this point, it is kinda pointless...

Simon swings at the lone raven.
[roll0]
dam: 5 min

[Lexin]

"At this point it is kinda relaxing..." he says and stomps on another frog

Attack [roll0]
Damage [roll1] bludgeoning + [roll2] acid
Attack [roll3]
Damage [roll4] bludgeoning + [roll5] acid

[drack]

The raven gaits awkwardly to the side avoiding the morning-star, as faelyn's boot takes out yet another frog.

The frogs and ravens continue slamming and pecking

[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]
[roll4]
[roll5]
[roll6]
[roll7]
[roll8]

[Archmage1]

Shaking his head, Simon takes another swing at the raven.

[roll0]
min damage 5

[Lexin]

Faelyn takes few steps towards Simon and tries to smack a raven this time. For a change.

Attack [roll0]
Damage [roll1] bludgeoning + [roll2] acid

[drack]

The two ravens are crunched leaving smears of rotten flesh on your "weapons".
The toads and remaining raven continue attacking though

simon
since a few extra attacks have been rolled against you over the course of this combat may as well make them up now before it ends.
[roll0]
faelyn
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]