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lawful_evil
2007-10-22, 04:34 PM
Carter

Carter continues to hold the rope in case anyone want to cross. When questioned by Hertz, he says, "A dagger? No, not really. Nothing slashing. I have a dart. Not sure how much good it'll do you."

Carter briefly releases the rope with one hand and tosses a dart to the ground near Hertz. He isn't really concerned with it bouncing off the edge, as the webbing will stop it. Once tossed, he puts his second hand back on the rope and makes sure his grip will support anyone crossing.

Carter then suggests, "You might have better luck getting our new friend to bite the webs. Its teeth look fairly sharp."

oliana0
2007-10-22, 04:37 PM
Oliana

"Here, toss him this." Oliana hands Carter one of her daggers.

anIceFan
2007-10-22, 04:54 PM
Nalik

Nalik lets go of the rope and says to Carter and Deladus.
Lets loop the rope a few times, that way we can increase it's strength.....Hold on tight, I am going to cross.

He then proceeds to shimmy his way across the rope, after it has been looped.


D' Any checks?

dauphinous
2007-10-22, 06:06 PM
With a wave of Ziran's hand, both beetles vanish. Nalik, and anyone else who wishes to (aside form Deladus, that is), can get across the gap using the rope. Sarrok is unconscious at the moment, and just around the bend, Hengist's large form can be found by anyone who cares to look, sprawled on the ledge. It is something of a miracle that he didn't roll off it, even though the ledge is wider here. He is breathing and every inch of exposed flesh is covered in tiny bite marks.

{
Sarrok and Hengist are both at -3
}

Annalia
2007-10-22, 06:41 PM
Hertz

Hertz uses the dagger to free Sarrock from most of the web, allowing both him and Nalik to better reach the gnome. As Nalike shimmies across, he checks up on Hengist. "So, what do we do about the bugs? Will the web hold them forever?"

Holocron Coder
2007-10-23, 06:19 AM
Deladus

Anchoring the rope while the rest cross the gap, Deladus remains mostly quiet. After the group crosses, he calls out across, "How are the two of them faring?"

And how do I get across?... He asks himself.

lawful_evil
2007-10-23, 06:28 AM
Carter

Carter does his best to stay out of the way while holding the rope, but the ledge is only 2 feet wide and Carter is a big boy and a bit of a klutz.

Carter suggests, "Sir, if I might.. we should either move along of head back. This ledge is very precarious. I need to sidle along the wall just to keep my center of gravity over the ledge. I am not looking forward to the chaos of a combat situation. With two men down, I really suggest that we head back."

anIceFan
2007-10-23, 06:56 PM
Nalik

Nalik moves past Carter to check on Sarrok. Noting first that the Gnome is stabilized he removes his dagger and begins to try cutting the gnome out of the webbing.
Oliana, we are going to want to burn this mass when we get Sarrok free, try and shimmy over here so that you can help in that. The rest of you, follow her over. Once everyone is on this side, Carter and I can hold the rope for Deladus to swing over.

If any of the buggies try and sting him, Nalik will skewer them on his dagger. Once Sarrok is free, he will lay his hands on their comrade and say a small prayer to Thor for healing.

Once completely done with Sarrok, he will move forward along the trail to see if he can find Hertz or Hengist.


cure light wounds + 1 turn undead for sacred healing
[roll0] level 3 plus 2 for sacred
I am still assuming level 3 because we haven't slept.

maybe I should let Annalia do my rolls for me.

dauphinous
2007-10-24, 07:39 AM
Nalik can find Hertz and Hengist by walking. They are just around the bend.

anIceFan
2007-10-24, 11:20 AM
Nalik

As soon as Sarrok begins to stir, Nalik carefully makes his way past him and around the bend. There he finds Hertz, apparently caring for a prone Hengist. When he reaches the pair, he is relieved to see that the large man is not beyond his care. He looks at Hertz Do I really have to heal him?

Before offering a prayer for their injured comrade.


cure light wounds + 1 turn undead for sacred healing
[roll0] level 4 +2 sacred healing

wow, Sorry Warbrute, sometimes the rolls go your way.

Annalia
2007-10-24, 11:29 AM
Hertz

"Have to, not really. But unless you plan to leave him here, we then would have to wait for him to wake up." Hertz replies seriously, Nalik's humour somewhat lost on him.

raspberrybadger
2007-10-24, 11:04 PM
Ziran Blueboots

Ziran basically waits until he is pretty sure that the current problems are well and truly in hand before even thinking about crossing. He rationalizes this to himself thinking Well, I'm more useful guarding the people working, and less useful hauling and jumping. Once everything is worked out and it looks all safe to cross, he does so.

Torger
2007-10-24, 11:31 PM
Hengist

The large man stirs, starting to pick himself up off his face, until his hand encounters empty air. With an oath and a scramble, Hengist sits against the wall. Odin's Empty Eye... That was rather horrific. What of the beasts? Wincing slightly, Hengist begins to pull himself to his feet, leaning heavily on his boar spear.

Annalia
2007-10-25, 06:53 PM
Hertz

"Dead, or soon to be. Oliana caught them into a web. Feeling better?" If Hertz is overly concerned by Hengist's state, it doesn't show that much in his voice. It seems like he's asking mostly out of pragmatism - better to know how each member of the team was feeling.

Torger
2007-10-25, 07:20 PM
Hengist

Hengist scratches absently at his beard-covered face. The bites itch, but it is of no moment. What manner of devilry spawned such creatures? Surly, they are the servants of Hel herself... Hengist makes abstracted conversation on the creatuers, still somewhat distracted by the fact that he almost just fell off a cliff.

anIceFan
2007-10-26, 03:07 PM
Nalik

Well you appear to be out of danger now. Lets head back and check on the rest of the group. They should be across the gap now.

Nalik well then head back toward the rest of the group. I am going to assume everyone but Deladus is on the "new" side. He will instruct everyone to grab he rope so that Deladus can swing/jump/drop/whatever to get across.

Now that the group is all on the same side, he will turn his attention back to Sarrok, who is not in danger of dying, but still not in great health. He will once again say a prayer to Thor to grant the gnome healing.

Once the Sarrok is back to full strength.
Alright, lets see where this trail goes. We will stick together this time. Hengist, lead on.


cure light wounds plus sacred healing, losing a turn undead
[roll0] +2 SH +4 level 4

so Sarrok should be at +3 for 1 hour

Torger
2007-10-26, 03:59 PM
Hengist

Only moving with slightly less grace from the insect bites, Hengist lumbers forward, keeping a keen eye out for traps, pits, deadfalls, swarms of chitinous mice, or whatever other irregularities the cursed forests of Markland might yield. As he moves, he begins to mutter tunefully to himself, another prayer-chant, it seems, to any who care to listen.



Listen +7
Move Silently +6
Search +7
Spot +6
Survival +7

Velvet Elvis
2007-10-27, 11:40 PM
Sinssuret

Floating along the inside line of the ledge, Sinssuret devotes four eyes to perusing the squirming, rock-carapaced creatures adhering to the thick, gluey strands. They seemed entirely harmless as individuals, with their tiny mouths and claws. Many a wise scholar remarked on the concept of the tiny overcoming the huge by sheer numbers. For some reason, though, he was less inclined to think about that, and leaned more towards wondering what they tasted like. A good crunch, no doubt, but perhaps too crunchy even for his resilient teeth.

He left them behind, one eye after another jerking back to normal position as he grew further away from them and their sticky prison.

"I certainly hope that's the last of those we see," he remarked idly as he reached those up ahead. Hengist's wounds were obvious and looked irritating if not obviously painful. Sin had no comment.

dauphinous
2007-10-28, 06:23 AM
The Treacherous Mountain Path
about 11am

The path dips downwards and widens to about three feet. The angle is not terribly steep, but it is enough to cause a few adrenaline pumping slips and slides here and there. After one such near loss of footing, Hengist finds himself on one knee, looking directly at a curiously arranged small pile of rocks. The arrangement is mostly curious in that it does seem to be actually arranged. It is only about half a foot high, and is generally conical, but the placement of each rock looks somehow deliberate. There is a notable feature to the rocks themselves, also, as they all seem to be the same size, or nearly so - flattish ovals about half an inch in their longest direction and perhaps half that in the shorter.

lawful_evil
2007-10-28, 08:41 AM
Carter

Once Carter finally gets to a wider section where he can walk normally without having to sidle along the wall. Of course with everyone slipping and nearly falling off here and there, he doesn't relax that much.

I think he's become a little obsessed.

All, the same, Carter wants to live, so he keeps an eye out for anything that may be dangerous.

If we get attacked on this ledge we are dead.

Torger
2007-10-28, 10:17 AM
Hengist

Hengist holds up a hand, signaling the others to stop, should they choose to heed him, or leaving them to squeeze past him if they're not interested. He does, however, make beckoning gestures to Sarrock and Oliana, figureing them to be the to most likely to know what the hel he's found.

As they draw closer, he speaks in a low voice, lest someone be listening. This rock placement is very deliberate, it seems. The skraelings in Vinland often mark territorial boundaries, sacred sites, and other places of import to their diseased minds in a similar manner. Have either of you encountered something similar? I ask because you, small, one, are a scout, and have assumably been many places you weren't supposed to be, and you, little Alf, have the knowledge and power of Odin, do you not? What say you?

oliana0
2007-10-29, 12:48 PM
Oliana

"I've read a lot, but knowledge and power of Odin may be stretching it. Does it appear trapped in anyway, or may I examine the rocks closer?"

Once given the go-ahead, Oliana will examine the pile of rock for any arcane, natural or historical significance.


[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
I went ahead and rolled all three because in this situation all may relavent.

dauphinous
2007-10-29, 01:46 PM
As Oliana gets close to the rocks, a blast of pure, soul-rending sound rips out of it and tears at the group of three.

{
Ref save DC 16 for Sarrok, Henigst, and Oliana.
Failure = 15 sonic damage
Success = 7 sonic damage
}

oliana0
2007-10-29, 02:11 PM
Oliana

Oliana's sensitive ears twitch a bit and she tries to avoid damage by twisting and turning away from the source of the magic. She moves too slowly and as she drops to the ground with her arms over her head, blood seeps out from her ears. The pain from the sonic damage is horrific.


[roll0]
If you're Nalik, you get to know she's down to 6 HP with the swift action status check. Otherwise don't read this. :smallwink:

Torger
2007-10-29, 03:14 PM
Hengist


Years of hanging about the drunks in mead halls along the watersides of Vinland made Hengist believe he was used to loud noises. However, nothing could prepare him for the sound emitted by the pile of garbage. With a Hunter's reflexes, he spun away from the mound, dropping to one knee and covering his ears. The piercing wail almost brought tears to his eyes, but as quickly as it came, it was gone. Opening his eyes, he immediately assess his companions, pulling out his small hammer and preparing to smash the mound.


Reflex Save (1d20+8=20) (http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=1342051)

Woot! Success. Unless someone stops him, he's gonna smash the dealie.

[b]Hengist Status report:
HP: 12
AC: 17
Mood: Smash

lawful_evil
2007-10-29, 05:11 PM
Carter

Carter is shocked by the sudden loud noise from the front of the group. He can't see from where he is and isn't willing to lean out over the edge to look.

Geesh, I thought they were going to be careful and sneaky and such. I can be a fair bit quieter than that.

Carter gets extra paranoid and being actively looking around to see what or who may have been alerted by that noise.

raspberrybadger
2007-10-29, 09:01 PM
Ziran Blueboots

Ziran, not really understanding what is going on, thinks What kind of explosion does that?

Reallizing that something is happening, and that he hasn't the faintest idea what, he decides to wait for someone up front to explain whether he's supposed to attack something, solve something, or just wait. He doesn't see anyone attacking anything, so he figures that this was most likely some sort of explosion trap and its too late to do anything about it now, but he is confused enough not to be too attached to this view.

Velvet Elvis
2007-10-30, 01:45 PM
Sinssuret

Sin floats to top height, craning several eyestalks around the obstacle of others standing ahead of him in order to see whatever was to be seen. The object was too low, and there was no particular commotion occuring now, so he assessed it must not have been an attacking creature. Thus, Sin simply resumed a height that would serve to use the person in front of him as cover for whatever else might happen before he was able to react. It might also shield his auditory sensors from more shrieks.

Silently, though, his mind worked, curious about the sound. It was impressive in its intensity; pure and clean, and apparently quite painful to at least one person up ahead, if the groans were any indication. As he continued to mull various things, he grumbled, "I dislike this ledge."

oliana0
2007-10-30, 01:54 PM
Oliana

Oliana stands, slowly, looking around for the source of the sound. "What was that?" She strains to avoid shouting, barly hearing herself speak.

dauphinous
2007-10-31, 06:04 PM
Sarrok seems to take the blast in full, holding his ears even though that doesn't help. Hengist's hammer swings down and smashes into the rocks, releasing a ball of fire that reaches out and past the three standing there to engulf Nalik, as well.

{
Ref save DC 15 vs. fire damage for Oliana, Sarrok, Hengist, Nalik
success = 6 points
failure = 12 points
}

anIceFan
2007-10-31, 06:18 PM
Nalik

Unaffected by the sonic attack of moments earlier, Nalik is preparing to check his crew for damage, when he is blasted by flames. He throws his arms up to protect his face as he falls backwards onto the path.

raurgh


[roll0]

oliana0
2007-10-31, 06:24 PM
Oliana

Oliana is still gaping at the noise when fireball blasts up. Her normal instincts fail her, she has barely reached for her robe when the fire begins to licks at her skin. She desperately tries to close her eyes fast enough, but to Oliana she sees the fire in slow motion, a familar feeling, but the magic fire burns hotter and faster than she remembers fire, and mercifully, she passes out before the fireball completes its damage.

The smell of burnt hair and wool drifts off of the smouldering lump caused by Oliana's body slumping to the ground.


[roll0]
At -6 for anyone that makes a status check. No one else look. :smallwink:

Annalia
2007-10-31, 07:31 PM
Hertz

Hertz had been silent until now, trying to understand what exactly had provoked the blast of sound, and worrying about it being an alarm of sorts. When the fireball goes off and he sees Oliana fall, however, he reacts quickly. He pushes his way to the front, muttering "Move. Move." as if he was moving through a dense crowd, and crouches next to her.

A glance told him that Nalik had also been burnt, and so had Hengist. With a sigh, he worked on the half-elf's wounds, using up a good part of his water on the burns. It soon becomes obvious that Hertz' regular job as a First Aid Kit is teaching him a lot. So efficient is he, in fact, that Oliana comes back to herself when he is done.

OOC:
Heal Check: 1d20+8=20! Healer's Hand HP: 1d6=6. (http://roll.coyotecode.net/lookup.php?rollid=2450) :smallsmile:

WarBrute
2007-10-31, 07:54 PM
Sarrok Balderk

Sarrok unable to adviod the sonic blast drops instinctively on to the ground sliding a few inches on the loose rocks advoiding the fire ball.

1d20+7=18 (http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=1346352)

Torger
2007-10-31, 08:17 PM
Hengist

Hengist reels back from the fiery explosion that erupts from the now non-existent pile of stones, losing his footing and landing hard on his backside. Franticly, he attempts to bat the fire out of his beard and hair, not really noticing the status of the others.



Reflex Save (1d20+8=18) (http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=1346390)

Hengist Status Update:
HP: 6/21
AC: 17
Mood: Smash a lot. Also, Fire bad!

Velvet Elvis
2007-10-31, 09:17 PM
Sinssuret

Like a prophecy fulfilled, Sin's almost preternatural response to take refuge behind the next person ahead was rewarded. Perhaps the fire wouldn't have reached him, anyway, but he would likely have been spared the brunt, had it been the case. He did, however, feel the wave of heat and shrunk back toward the point where the rock face angled to form the ledge. His eyestalks were flattened backwards, eyes closed. The central eye remained cracked open just a bit, and his mouth was tightly shut, though an odd rumbling sound could be heard from somewhere within.

Deeper still, he made a mental note to remain a safe distance from that Hengist fellow. Unfortunately, he had no particular guess as to what safe meant.

raspberrybadger
2007-10-31, 10:10 PM
Ziran Blueboots

Seeing Oliana fall, Ziran says in an agitated voice "Is she alive? We need to get her out of the blast area, before that thing goes off again."

OOC: would it be possible for Ziran to get a spellcraft check to tell what spells if any are producing the damage? Or can he not see well enough?

lawful_evil
2007-11-01, 05:52 AM
Carter

Carter was facing away and checking for any hostile creatures approaching from the air or from the rear when the blast went off. Although he wasn't hit, he felt the warmth on his face and felt the compression wave from the blast.

Unable to see, because of people in front of him, he calls out, "By the gods, what is happening up there?"

Holocron Coder
2007-11-01, 06:19 AM
Deladus

Also near the back, Deladus peers forward at the rest of the group. "What in Balder's name is happening? Is everyone alright?"

oliana0
2007-11-01, 08:57 AM
Oliana

The mass of smoldering wool stirs a bit and Oliana slowly sits up. Charred fleshed crackles a bit as she does so and Oliana flinches. Weakly, "Wait *cough* *cough*, don't go closer." Oliana slowly raises her hands and with pain on her face she speaks a few words and then looks around carefully.


Can't trust them.
Cast Detect Magic looking for any other traps that were missed.

anIceFan
2007-11-01, 06:46 PM
Nalik

after recovering from the initial searing agony of the fireball, Nalik proceeds to check on the status of the rest of the team. He is at first horrified to see that Oliana is prone until being revived by Hertz. He notices that Sarrok and Hertz are also in a very dire position. He moves over to the closest of them and spends a few moments in prayer to Thor.

Everyone take up defensive postures. I will need to take a moment to gather strength from this attack.

Nalik will pull out a healers kit and begin to clean and care for his wounds.



[roll0] +4 levels +4 sacred healing
giving up 2 turn undead to extend healing to Oliana, Sarrok and Hengist
also 1 level 2 spell slot

I am not sure exactly where Sarrok is at as far as HP goes. I think that should put Hengist at 23 and Oliana at 17, Nalik is at 36.

oliana0
2007-11-01, 08:45 PM
Oliana

"There's no more magic."

Velvet Elvis
2007-11-02, 12:36 AM
Sinssuret

Remaining in his newly adopted position, Sinssuret's eyestalks spring back to life, and all eyes crack open once again. From this low vantage point, he can now see through the legs of those before him to the scattering of pebbles upon the ledge. A quick deduction told him enough to suggest something.

"If we encounter any more of those, perhaps an arrow or bolt shot from distance will work better." It was obvious enough, but it seemed like it needed to be voiced. This contingent was far less capable with regard to forward scouting than his old company, which had two dedicated blazers that served no other purpose than to select and secure passage. Sin wondered why there wasn't at least one such person here to fill that role explicitly. If he'd had shoulders, they would have shrugged. Instead, his eyestalks wiggled briefly as if chilled. Same thing.

"We should move soon, I think. Before something responds to that signal, if that is what it was."

anIceFan
2007-11-03, 01:24 AM
Nalik

After Nalik has had a moment to recover, he sets the group to head out again.

All ready then? Lets move out. Same marching order as before. From now on, if you see something odd, do not approach it.

Nalik will then take his place in line for the march.

Velvet Elvis
2007-11-03, 06:31 AM
Sinssuret

Sin floats back to his high point of about five feet from the ground. He wears a grimace, as he moves along with the ledge-bound line, eyestalks turning and craning in all directions at once; watching.

dauphinous
2007-11-03, 06:48 PM
The Treacherous Mountain Path
a little after 11am

Just around the next bend, the ledge widens and gains a second side again, so there is no longer a drop off, just steep walls on both sides. It seems to even out and be more or less level here, too.

Perhaps 50 feet after that, Hengist notices that there is a place in the wall on the left that looks like a slab of the rock has been carved out of it and used as a door. It is wedged open just enough to tell that it is there, and that it is 5 feet high and 3 feet wide. The way it's wedged open suggests that the hinge is at the bottom rather than one of the sides.

At about the same time, Sarrok notices scratches at the base of the wall opposite the 'door'. From the placement, it is likely that the door opens downward and fits just right with the opposite wall. Additionally, he also notices that the floor of the path has some kind of plate, perhaps of the pressure variety, that looks just like the rock and is about the same size as the 'door'. It is also wedged downward slightly. It looks like the 'door' would probably fit exactly over the pressure plate if it was open all the way.

Velvet Elvis
2007-11-04, 10:07 PM
Sinssuret

"Much better," Sinsurret says, apparently more comfortable that the risk of falling over the ledge is now gone.

oliana0
2007-11-05, 01:52 PM
Oliana

Oliana feels much better with magical healing she receives. Most of the burns nearly heal over, and she is left with a few raw spots and healing blisters. Her beloved robe has seen better days, and she fidgets with the charred ends of the robe, and seems a bit dismayed at the damage to her hair; tufts of it are now missing and what's left is thin and a great deal shorter; old burn scars are more visible in the freshly healed parts where her hair used to be. She takes the tattered remains of her cowl and wraps her head with it covering up the worse parts.

It had been years since she had lost hair to fire. She is sullen and quiet for the continued journey; she continues to press her hands to parts of her face where eyebrows and eyelashes would have to grow back in. Then she pulls the hood of her robe up and over her head, hindering the view of her face slightly.

Holocron Coder
2007-11-05, 03:01 PM
Deladus

Seeing the disconcerted movements of his friend the half-elf, Deladus pats Oliana gently on the back in sympathy before halting with the rest of the group. "About time... any further and that drop-off would have driven me mad."

WarBrute
2007-11-05, 06:08 PM
Sarrok Balderk

The gnome stops dead, and holds his hand back singling for the rest of the party to stop. “There’s something ahead.” Frowning Sarrok crouches on his hams focusing on the plate. “perhaps some kind of pressure plate…” He mutters trailing off. He stands calling Nalik, sir, you might want to have a look at this. I may be able to disarm it if it is in fact a trap, but I want your approval before I start.

oliana0
2007-11-05, 06:33 PM
Oliana

Oliana takes a few steps away from the front of the group, shakes her head and returns to her normal position, just a bit antsy.

anIceFan
2007-11-05, 07:00 PM
Nalik

Oliana, Ziran, do either of you see anything that should prevent Sarrok from examining this "something" that lies ahead.

If neither of the magic users see anything Nalik will give Sarrok approval to examine the thing.

Everyone else, lets step back a bit.

Annalia
2007-11-05, 07:25 PM
Hertz

"Very trustful." Hertz commented lightly as he took a few steps back.

raspberrybadger
2007-11-06, 02:26 AM
Ziran Blueboots

Ziran edges forward until he is sure he is within detect magic range and casts the cone of detecting power, fully expecting to only see nothing but the party's own magic, though without much logic behind that expectation. If he sees no extraneous magic, he'll say in a somewhat routine, falling tone to Nalik "All clear." If the way is not in fact clear of magic, he will take the time to examine the aura in more detail, and play the detection cone around the sides of the passage as well looking for further problems.

dauphinous
2007-11-06, 06:44 AM
Ziran doesn't detect any magic outside of the party and their belongings. Sarrok's initial probing of the pressure plate does nothing to reveal it's function, but as soon as he gets close, a furious scrabbling noise seems to come from underneath it. It sounds as if something is scraping against the other side of the stone repeatedly, but not in a pattern of noise. The best comparison would be to say that it is altogether like a panicked person trying to scrape a door open with their bare hands. Judging by the sound of it, this plate may not be any thicker than the door.

As if in response to that, a similar sort of scrabbling begins behind the upright door.

Torger
2007-11-06, 08:49 AM
Hengist

Hengist had remained quiet and distant from the odd rocks, deciding to let them blow up in someone else's face, until the noise started. Standing horrified for a moment, Hengist realized what it was, or at least, what it sounded like. Surtur's black heart... There are people trapped in there! Hello! Can you hear me? I'm going to get you out.


Without waiting for Nalik's assessment, or, really, anyone else, Hengist moves to the upright door, attempting to brute-strength it open enough to at least see inside, grunting a litany of curses in his native tongue as he does.

oliana0
2007-11-06, 09:00 AM
Oliana

"No!" Oliana turns away from the Norseman fully expecting something to explode somehow.

Holocron Coder
2007-11-06, 09:20 AM
Deladus

Grimacing, Deladus turns to Nalik. "If he survives, can I kill him? Please?"

anIceFan
2007-11-06, 12:15 PM
Nalik

Hengist wait!

It is obviously too late when Nalik realizes that the large norseman is going rogue again.

Nalik is very tempted to tell Deladus yes, his comment coming almost on the heals of his half joke about healing the large discipline problem. Instead he responds.

Thor would be angry at me if I used my healing on him. only to allow you to kill him right after. So as much as it pains me, no you can't kill him.

To the rest of the group
Be ready, we don't know what he is going to loose on us next.

Nalik draws his hammer and tightens his shield on his arm, prepared to battle whatever issues forth from the apparent cave.

dauphinous
2007-11-06, 01:03 PM
It takes two good heaves, but Hengist is able to shift the door, which seems to have been stuck somehow. There is a sound not unlike nails being drawn across a blackboard, then the door opens fully and very suddenly. Sarrok is able to pull back quickly enough to avoid it, but Hengist is not. The door opens all the way, and there is a loud click as it stops flush with the ground, as if it has become the pressure plate. A new door has come up and covers the hole in the wall.

Only Sarrok was really close enough to see what actually happened, and he was too busy dodging out of the way of the door to take in details.

Hengist has disappeared completely and a figure stands where he was. The figure might be human, or maybe it was once. Its skin, a pallid shade of grey, is stretched tightly across every part of its body. The ends of its fingers are scraped to the bones, and its sandy blonde hair is wild and unkempt. The eyes are milky white, and roll around in their sockets. It has remnants of leathr armor covering some parts of its body, but it is obviously in poor condition. As soon as it is able, it launches itself at Sarrok, trying to knock him down.

The gnome stands his ground. For now.

{
Initiatives and first round actions, please
Sarrok is grappling with the icky bad thing
}

oliana0
2007-11-06, 01:41 PM
Oliana
[roll0]

Oliana looks at the creature and tries to figure out what it is before choosing her method of attack.


Knowledge roll to figure out what it is? +9 for Arcana, +5 for Nature

Holocron Coder
2007-11-06, 07:13 PM
Deladus

The danger apparent, Deladus moves to assist their comrade.


[roll0]

Move and attack.
[roll1]
[roll2]

Annalia
2007-11-06, 07:39 PM
Hertz

Though quite aware his usefulness in close battle was rather low, Hertz nonetheless rushes forward, taking a direction opposite to Deladus. He punches at the strange creature when he reaches the other side of it, hoping to get a strike in for once.

Hoping to at least provide some flanking! But for now...
Initiative: 1d20+6=15 (http://roll.coyotecode.net/lookup.php?rollid=2606)
Attack Roll: 1d20+3=16, Damage Roll: 1d8=6. (http://roll.coyotecode.net/lookup.php?rollid=2607)

anIceFan
2007-11-06, 08:15 PM
Nalik

Nalik is once again horrified as Hengist is replaced by some apparition. Blocked by his comrades and unable to approach the creature, he holds the hammer hanging around his neck and asks for Thors protection.


I am hoping that this is some kind of undead creature.
[roll0] yay 0 charisma modifier :(
[roll1]

lawful_evil
2007-11-07, 07:09 AM
Carter

Even though he's in the back, Carter can tell something happened, but not exactly what. Fearing it may be the first portion of a coordinated attack, Carter turns around to make sure nothing is coming up behind them and then begins checking the ridgeline for archers, stone thrower, or other types of foes.

Velvet Elvis
2007-11-07, 08:27 AM
Sinssuret

It seemed the neverending festival of strangeness augmented by Hengist's peculiar sense of benevolent rashness, would not end just yet. He couldn't really see what had happened, but he could easily tell the thing that launched itself at the gnome wasn't Hengist. Or he hoped it wasn't. In any event, the others weren't waiting for details to resolve, and neither would he.

"Zenamakpi fegcif!" exclaims Sinssuret in a strangely sibilant, yet harsh voice.

The spear that'd been sheathed in his harness and looking quite a bit too large for him, slips out of its own volition and darts toward the pile of gnome and zombie. It comes to a point where it hovers momentarily some ten feet above the writhing, grunting mass.

OOC - dmove actions to 1. draw and 2. move spear into position. I hadn't thought to inquire before, but I'm going to logically assume that I have a Z-axis to work with and can thus attack from above, space permitting. I gotta ask: +1 for attacking from "higher ground"?

WarBrute
2007-11-07, 06:09 PM
Sarrok Balderk

Sarrok slides away from the thing trying to break free from its grasp by sliding and twisting. If he does escape he swiftly draws his spear from a back sheath.
OOC:
Initive 1d20+3=22 (http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=1359545)
Escape artist check 1d20+4=21 (http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=1359550)

dauphinous
2007-11-07, 07:59 PM
Sarrok wriggles free, kicking off the figure to move out of its immediate grasp. It takes a swipe at Sarrok, claw-like fingers scraping across his flesh. It sucks greedily at the fingers that just made the slashes while making whimpering noises and swiping with the other hand. Its second hand makes new slashes, and it stuffs its other hand in its mouth, too.

Hertz tumbles through and past the creature, stepping just on the door briefly, but pulling his foot back quickly. The new door that moved into place when the previous one replaced the pressure plate snaps downwards. A new door appears where the previous one was. There seems to have been another of the gaunt figures trapped inside, as the turn of the door brings another of them, this one female but otherwise about the same in appearance, leaping onto Hertz. They tussle for a few moments, claws, feet, and fists flying, then it ends up knocking Hertz to the ground.

With Sarrok now just moving away from the first creature, Deladus steps up and bashes his warhammer into the first figure's skull with a solid thud. It makes a grunting sort of noise and lets both hands out of its mouth. While the impact was a good one, it certainly is not horribly damaged by it and its attention turns to Deladus.

Sinssuret's spear moves through the air with no hand touching it, then positions itself close enough to be in striking range as soon as there is a good opportunity. Nalik raises his holy symbol aloft and calls the power of Thor. The symbol and his hand both glow with a bright light, but the two creatures just hiss at him and don't even marginally flinch.

initiative order:
Sarrok 22 (18/27)
Oliana 17
icky bad things 16
Hertz 15 (prone, grappled)
Deladus 13
Sinssuret 11
Nalik 8
Carter 5
Ziran 3

Those people who declared no actual action have just been skipped. They can act next round if desired.

WarBrute
2007-11-07, 09:46 PM
Sarrok Balderk

Sarrok ylls out in pain as the claws rake across his chest. He grimaces as Deladus’ hammer smashes in the skull of the horrid thing. The gnome takes advantage of the distraction and attempts to move into a flanking position with Deladus. The gnome pulls back his spear and thrust at the monster.

Attack roll=15
Damage=2
(http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=1360056)sneak attack damage=10 (http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=1360061)(This assuming if the thing is effected by sneak attack.)

raspberrybadger
2007-11-08, 01:07 AM
Ziran Blueboots

Ziran spends the first moments of the battle frustratedly trying to work out what spell to use. Color spray is out of the question. Illusions will hardly help now. Grease is just out of range. Ray of enfeeblement is just out of range too. Seeing other attacks being less than useful, Ziran decides that he'll just have to do this the direct way. Besides, its the first thing he can think of that would be productive. So he fishes through his scroll pouch and tries to reduce the big ugly thing count by one, aiming a Scorching Ray at the nearest zombie thing as soon as he finds the scroll he is looking for. Besides, its not like the things look nimble enough to jump out of the way of a ray spell. Ziran feels good about this option, even if he tends to prefer a little more subtlety.

Touch attack, damage (1d20+4=13, 4d6=22) (http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=1360508)

Holocron Coder
2007-11-08, 07:19 AM
Deladus

"...Not good..." Deladus comments allowed, taking another swing at the thing to keep it distracted, putting more force behind the blow.


[roll0]
[roll1]

Annalia
2007-11-08, 09:33 AM
Hertz

Unwilling to remain in a grapple involving a creature that had actively sought it - especially after hearing Sarrock's yell right next to him - Hertz tried to fight his way out of the icky creature's grasp.

Grapple check to escape: 1d20+7=18. (http://roll.coyotecode.net/lookup.php?rollid=2646)

oliana0
2007-11-08, 09:59 AM
Oliana

Oliana squishes herself to the side of the pass, letting others through, and trying to get an eye on the creatures attacking. If she can get a line of sight, she pulls the wand she's gotten really comfortable with and aims it at the zombie attacking Hertz.

Velvet Elvis
2007-11-08, 11:38 AM
Sinssuret

The spear bobs and follows the flow of movement below and around it, jabbing forward at an opportune time, possibly sweeping to trip the target first, if the option is ripe.

OOC - d-edit to clean this up-
Attack vector is above Sarrock/Deladus to Zombie #1 using Hertz as flank buddy, if this is deemed possible. If I can't gain flanking in this manner, I'll maintain the spear's position directly above Z#2 and attack from there, whether Hertz escapes the grapple or not.

[roll0] vs creature's touch AC (inc. flanking +2 bonus, remove if invalid)
[roll1] opposed strength check
[roll2] vs creature's prone AC, if I win the strength check

for [roll3] damage and leaving creature prone.

If I'm not allowed to trip from above or a 45 degree angle (seems the latter should be possible, though, since even very tall creatures can still trip shorter creatures), then skip the trip and use the first roll as my basic attack roll vs whatever AC prevails at the time.

Note: declaring the spear as my AoO option.

-edit- Combat Maneuvers activated with this round, but only if I can trip, of course.

anIceFan
2007-11-08, 01:36 PM
Nalik

Nalik realizes that he can best help the group by granting Thors blessings. He focuses all his energies onto his hammer and Begs Thors blessing on the group.


trading turn undead for sacred purification
[roll0]

so we all get to add +8 to our hp to give you a max of +3 over normal HP(as does every other living creature). This should include Hengist. All undead take -8, this should include any that Nalik doesn't know about as well.

lawful_evil
2007-11-09, 05:12 PM
Carter

Having exhausted his options for rear attack, Carter tries to see what is going on and whether he might help. *lean left* *lean right* Carter eventually resorts to jumping up and down to try and get a good view.

Jump Up (1d20+5=15) (http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=1364020)

Carter eventually hears Nalik and then knows that someone is still in command, and if needed, he would be ordered forward.

dauphinous
2007-11-09, 08:24 PM
Sarrok stays where he is, trying to contribute to the fight the best he can, but the cramped quarters seem to be giving him trouble maneuvering adequately. If that big oaf Deladus would just get out of the way, he'd be all set. Oliana sends three missiles of force shooting out of her wand that impact directly on the zombie thing trying to eat Hertz.

The first zombie thing takes another swipe at Sarrok, raking a claw across his face. Its other hand scrapes at Deladus, but finds only the chain links of his armor. The second zombie thing buries its face into Hertz's shoulder and sinks what much be quite sharp teeth into his flesh. It begins sucking with unexpected force and making quiet little whimpering noises. In the course of the tussling between Hertz and his new friend, it seems that the trap has been triggered again, and the new door swings down just as the previous two had. Somehow, both Hertz and zombie thing manage to avoid behind sucked within once more, but now a third zombie thing has leapt out and seems intent on turning Hertz into the meat of a zombie sandwich. Sinsurret's spear stabs the third zombie as it flies out at Hertz, but this does nothing to slow its progress or impede its ability to latch onto Hertz.

Hertz, now dealing with two new friends, finds that both have strong grips and are clever in their attempts to restrain him. Or maybe just so desperate to eat him that his efforts are futile. Deladus's warhammer finds purchase again, thumping solidly into the zombie thing he is facing. There are dry, crackly sounds like things snapping and popping.

Sinssuret's spear jabs into the grappling fray, but it seems that everything in the way is impairing his ability to direct it as expertly as he otherwise might. The spear sinks solidly into Hertz's leg, then pulls back, dripping with blood. Nalik again invokes the might of Thor, sending a pulse of warmth across everyone present. It has no visible effect, but two of the three zombie things shriek hideously and loudly. The other one, the one sucking on Hertz's shoulder, makes a gurgly noise and spasms some, but doesn’t let go.

Ziran's scroll sends a fiery ray into the fray, but he can't seem to get a good angle around Deladus and Sarrok, so it impacts against the wall fo the pass. The ray leaves a scorch mark on the rock.

As Carter jumps up and down, he feels a sharp jab from some kind of blade that has found a chink in his armor and plunged straight in. As he realizes this, a small thing pops into view, as if it was emerging from invisibility. It looks like a very small man with dark bat wings that are mostly folded up. It is no more than a foot tall, and wearing a black loincloth. Its skin is dark red and there are two tiny blackened horns protruding from its forehead. At the moment, it has a vicious grin on its face and it pulls a tiny blade that was sunken to the hilt out of Carter.

initiative order:
Little flying dude 24
Sarrok 22 (24/27)
Oliana 17 (+3hp)
icky bad things 16 (3 of them, all partially damaged)
Hertz 15 (prone, grappled 12/26, -1 Con)
Deladus 13 (+3hp)
Sinssuret 11 (+3hp)
Nalik 8 (+3hp)
Carter 5 (32/40)
Ziran 3 (+3hp)

Hertz didn't just get completely shellacked, I was just going by the current HP on Annalia's sheet. Did Hertz not get healed after the rock bug event?

The spear jab to Hertz is the result of the random roll to determine who gets hit, not really a visibility issue. Also, Ziran had to fire into melee, so it's the –4 for that which caused the problem. Unless he'd rather not take the –4 and hit Deladus in the back instead, of course.

anIceFan
2007-11-09, 09:53 PM
Nalik

Nalik works hard to keep his panic in check as he tries to join in the fray. unable to get past his comrades to engage the zombie things attacking Hertz, he once again calls upon the grace of Thor to come to their aid.

Lets have at them mates. By the grace of Thor we will vanquish these life forsaken vermin. Hengist, Hengist can you hear me. We will rescue you.


once again trading turn undead for sacred purification
[roll0] Sorry, for those of us that are already positive, this will give no more bonus. Hertz, Sarrok and Carter will get the +5 and uglies get -5.

I thought of spiritual weapon, but that would have all the same drawbacks as a regular attack, plus this way I get to damage at least 3 of the uglies. I figure Carter, Ziran, and Oliana can handle the little devil in the rear. You were getting bored anyway right?

WarBrute
2007-11-09, 10:23 PM
Sarrok Balderk

The gnome lets out a grunt of pain as the claws rake his face just after the the wounds on his chest healed. In an attempt to get out of the way of Deldues Sarrok drops his spear and backs five feet drawing his cross bow in a fluid motion. He then pulls a blot from his side pouch and loads it. He frowns thinking it looks as though he is about to shoot Deldues in the square in back.

5 foot step into the “F” square on V_E’s map, oh and dodge bonus on the first “icky thing” (Some day I will remember that feat before the middle of combat.)

raspberrybadger
2007-11-10, 09:59 AM
Ziran Blueboots

Ziran is more than a little startled by the sudden tiny winged thing, but he dismisses it once he has time to think. Carter can handle it, and if not, there is always color spray. Besides, its using a tiny little blade.

The zombies, on the other hand, bother Ziran more and more. There seem to be more of them every few seconds. That is not a good thing. The bat wings have got Ziran thinking infernal somethingerother, and he's trying to get some sort of barrier up, so he points his wand over by the zombies and conjures up a lemure. It sounds tough to him at least.

[OOC: I'm guessing there isn't anywhere to put it really, at least not where it would be in contact with the zombies. His ideal solution is to put it above the zombies, whether in the air or sliding down the side walls or something. If there's well and truly no place to put a summon, have Ziran delay until he can step 5' forward for grease purposes. That might be as simple as switching places with Oliana. Unless I'm reading the map incorrectly, Ziran could hit a few squares worth of zombies with a grease spell, though that doesn't really help Hertz.]

Ziran also asks, rather loudly, "Want the zombies tripped? I need five feet closer for that"

Annalia
2007-11-10, 12:30 PM
Hertz

Biting back a grunt of pain as he gets bitten and speared, Hertz decides a change of strategy is in order. If he couldn't get out of their grasp, he could only hope him and the others could destroy them before that thing had sucked out all his blood. He fought hard to get enough space to strike the zombie-like thing, trying to keep his mind off the disgusting gurgly noise it was making.

I checked back, and nope, Nalik never healed Hertz since the swarm episode. He healed Sarrock and Hengist, then later on Sarrock, Hengist and Oliana. So the HP total on my sheet should be right.
As for this round, I think I'm better off trying to break the grapple by killing the damn things. So, here goes!
Grapple Check: 1d20+7=16, Unarmed Damage: 1d8=6. (http://roll.coyotecode.net/lookup.php?rollid=2712)

lawful_evil
2007-11-10, 04:36 PM
Carter

Carter howls in pain when he is stabbed in the back by the little flying dude(LFD). He initially thinks he just pulled something from jumping up and down in armor, but when his hand comes away with blood on it and his eyes make contact with the little demon thingy, he is sure of the attack.

As he begins to swings his flail to attack the LFD, he calls out, "We are being flanked and attacked from the air." Carter then takes a step back, to give his weapon the range it needs(and to flank the LFD).

Carter swings his flail and attempts to land this LFD.

Kill LFD (1d20+9=18+flank) (http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=1365852)
Damage LFD (1d10+6=14+sneak attack) (http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=1365872)

Holocron Coder
2007-11-11, 02:50 AM
Deladus

Frustrated, Deladus calls out aloud, "We need more room to maneuver! More of these things keep coming out!"

Grunting, he swings again at the same creature, determined to take at least one down.


Dodge bonus on the zombie-thing he's fighting.

[roll0]
[roll1]

oliana0
2007-11-11, 12:16 PM
Oliana

Oliana hears the commotion behind her and sees Ziran's desire to move forward. She feels like she cannot do much for the front of the party so she moves to switch places with Ziran. And then casts a quick spell to aid Carter, a ray of white magic swooshes past Carter.


[roll0]
[roll1]

dauphinous
2007-11-11, 07:55 PM
Sarrok steps back and loads his crossbow. Oliana sends a ray at the little flying guy, but the effort of not hitting Carter causes her beam to fly wide.

The two zombie things are quite firmly attached to Hertz, the second one now taking its own bite out of Hertz. Both make little gurgling noises of intense pleasure. Hertz slips into unconsciousness as they drain his blood. The first zombie thing, staring down just Deladus now, leaps at him. Deladus reacts in a split-second, smashing his hammer into it as it jumps through the air. His blow deflects it to the side and sends it crashing into the wall of the pass. The zombie thing crumples and slides to the ground, apparently bereft of whatever force was animating it.

The trap door flies through the air again, and Hengist comes into view right next to Hertz and his pair of zombie-like pals. He lands poorly, thumping onto his side.

Deladus steps up and tries to give Hertz a hand, bringing his warhammer down onto the skull of a zombie thing, narrowly missing braining Hertz. The zombie thing makes a funny squidgy noise, but shows no signs of slowing down its assault on Hertz. Sinssuret's floating spear takes a new jab, this time landing solidly in a zombie leg.

Nalik's pulse of energy cases one of the zombie things trying to eat Hertz to sizzle and pop a little bit. It looks like it might have slumped against Hertz. At the same time, Hertz's eyes flutter open again.

Carter takes a quick step back from the little flying guy and swings his flail, crashing the head of it into the head of the little man. It stops grinning and puts a hand up to touch the dark ichor that begins to ooze from the wound. Carter is fairly certain that his blow should have hurt it more than it did, almost as if the little guy's skin was too thick to take the full brunt of the blow.

The little flying guy snaps his fingers and disappears again.

initiative order:
Sarrok 22 (+2hp)
Hengist 19 (+3hp, prone)
Oliana 17 (+3hp)
icky bad thing 16 (1 left, partially damaged)
Hertz 15 (prone, grappled, 4/18, -5 Con)
Deladus 13 (+3hp)
Sinssuret 11 (+3hp)
Nalik 8 (+3hp)
Carter 5 (37/40)
Ziran 3 (+3hp)

WarBrute
2007-11-12, 01:24 AM
Sarrok Balderk

The gnome frowns at his shot, while on a few yards away many bodies block his sight. Biting his lower lip he holds the crossbow at eye level, says a rare prayer to Odin, and let the crossbow fall limp in his arm. The risk of hitting Hertz and Deladus was to great. He cursed his inability to help. Without much else to do He bent and scooped his spear off the ground, shoving back into its sheath

lawful_evil
2007-11-12, 07:13 AM
Carter

When the LFD disappears, Carter growls, "Oh no you don't." With that he listens for the sounds of flapping wings and strikes again with his flail.

Rolls:

Listen (1d20+2=22 ) (http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=1368768)
Att (1d20+9=18 ) (http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=1368761) Hopefully I'm still flanking.
Dam (1d10+6=8 ) (http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=1368763)
Sneak (1d6=4 ) (http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=1368765) Just in case

Torger
2007-11-12, 10:53 AM
Hengist

Hengist staggers and falls as he appears back on the surface. Regaining his footing, he sees the old man being assaulted by evil and foul creatures. With a roar of primal rage, Hengist leaps to pull the creature from Hertz.



Grapple Check (1d20+4=20) (http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=1368948)

Now, Viking Smash

anIceFan
2007-11-12, 12:58 PM
Nalik

Naliks one thought is to keep his team alive. He is shockingly pleased when Hengist is spit out of the mountain. I guess whatever created this doesn't want him either. Beyond that thought, he is concentrating wholly on granting Thors might to the group.


You gets it, trade another turn undead for sacred purification.
[roll0]

That is Thor punishing me for that Hengist thought. Sorry Torgar!

Velvet Elvis
2007-11-12, 02:23 PM
Sinssuret

The number of bodies, limbs and weapons flailing about continues to make things difficult for Sinssuret. While he can still see what's happening ahead, it requires him to bob and weave to maintain a position least likely to be blocked. In the back of his mind, he pines for the possibility that, someday, he may figure out how to release the tether to the ground and fly properly.

Seeing the door rotate again, Sin grumbles. Seeing it spew forth Hengist, apparently unharmed and untransformed--an possibility he'd entirely imagined--elicited another grumble. What that might mean is Sin's little secret, but regardless, he was going to take advantage of the opportunity Hengist was trying to provide.

OOC - dOookkkk. Contingency tree:

If Hengist successfully grapples the zombie AWAY from Hertz, as he implies he's attempting to do, thus leaving only the Zombie and Hengist grappled, OR if Hengist fails and thus doesn't become part of the grapple, AND IF NO ONE ELSE JOINS THE GRAPPLE before his turn, Sin will direct a spear thrust to the zombie. -end-

If Hengist is successful but does NOT remove the zombie from grappling Hertz, but only manages to join the grapple (thus making it a threesome), Sin will not attack the zombie.

If the demon pops back in and is in a position where I can see him, I will perform a grapple upon his little butt. You may have to do some fancy adjudicating to resolve this seeing as how it's flying and my grapple is effectively non-corporeal. Also, do I have to drop my spear to grapple? If I were using a light weapon instead of a spear, could I still attack the grapple-ee with it while maintaining the grapple, as with normal grappling?

If this happens, let me know and I'll make some rolls in OOC, edit this post to reflect my modified actions, and leave it to you to describe the actual results in the next resolution post.

Note that the grapple is probably a good trick here, so I'll use it, but I'd still like to know the answer to the question posed in my last PM. -end-

If by the time his init rolls around, he couldn't perform any of the above actions, he'll just grumble again. -end-

I think that about covers it.
OOC - aIFLOL on the Hengist comment. Nearly made me choke on my Chinese.

oliana0
2007-11-12, 02:46 PM
Oliana

Orcish curses slip from the lips of the tiny half-elf as the little devil disappears. The zombie creature was too far away and appeared to be outnumbered, but the impish creature was nearly unhurt, and could disappear. Knowing that the creature could appear at anytime and disappear as quickly, she moves to protect her back about a foot off the wall and prepares to zap it with her wand the moment it appears.


Move to protect back, re-draw the wand (what you missed her tucking it away last turn instead of moving?):smallbiggrin:
Ready action to use wand if the LFD reappears.
Knowledge Arcana +9 to see if she know what that was and maybe a weakness?

Holocron Coder
2007-11-12, 04:07 PM
Deladus

Letting out a grunt of anger, Deladus once again attacks the creature dining on Hertz, determined to take it off him.


O boy, let's hope I hit >_<

[roll0]
[roll1]

Dodge on the nearest "free" zombie, if any.

Annalia
2007-11-12, 10:27 PM
Hertz

Rather confused at blacking in and out of battle, Hertz is rather please to realise there's only one zombie still biting his shoulder and sucking his blood. He groans and tries to push the zombie off him, glad to hear Hengist's roar as he shoves as hard as he can.

OOC:
Yep, I'll never give up on finding some use for the Improved Grapple. Here's to another most-likely failing check!
Grapple check: 1d20+7=20. (http://roll.coyotecode.net/lookup.php?rollid=2790)

raspberrybadger
2007-11-13, 12:29 AM
Ziran Blueboots

As soon as he can, Ziran steps forward into the area Oliana had been using.
Now in range, Ziran casts Grease on the zombies like he intended.

OOC: I'm not exactly sure where all of our people are, or where the zombies are. With 30' range, and a 10' square to target, Ziran ought to be able to get at least some zombie things, ideally without hitting anyone friendly. If he has to, he'll hit Hertz as well, as hindering everyone in that little brawl sounds like a good idea. Its a DC 16 ref save or fall prone, repeated once every round, plus forcing balance checks and so on. Only 3 rounds though.

dauphinous
2007-11-13, 06:50 AM
Ziran swaps places with Oliana and casts Grease on the area with Hertz, the zombie, and Hengist. Sarrok loads his crossbow and picks up his spear. Hengist tries to scramble to his feet and make a flying leap, but slips on the Grease and lands on his back instead of his side, with the trap door (which then opens and closes again) between himself and Hertz. Oliana levels her wand at the air, holding it steady in case the flying creature comes visible again.

The zombie, not having any difficulty dealing with Hertz at all, just keeps indulging, making Hertz weaker by the moment.

Deladus takes another swing at the remaining zombie, impacting his hammer on its back. Hertz feels the force of the blow through it and both men can hear the wet, meaty thud. Sinssuret's spear jabs downwards again, but hits the ground beside Hertz. Nalik unleashes another pulse of energy which makes the zombie thing sizzle a tiny bit.

Carter focuses on what he is getting from his ears instead of his eyes and swings his flail through the air behind himself. It scrapes along something, but doesn't seem to hit solidly enough. There is a little giggle from the general area. Then the flying thing reappears as it stabs Carter in the leg. Oliana sends three missiles of force slamming into the flying creature, which hit while it is pulling the dagger back out. It isn't giggling anymore.

initiative order:
Oliana 24 (+3hp)
little flying dude 24
Sarrok 22 (+3hp)
Hengist 19 (+3hp, prone)
icky bad thing 16 (1 left, partially damaged)
Hertz 15 (prone, grappled, 2/12, -6 Con)
Deladus 13 (+3hp)
Sinssuret 11 (+3hp)
Nalik 8 (+3hp)
Carter 5 (29/40)
Ziran 3 (+3hp) {may retro again, sorry for leaving the note out before}

I'll note that Hertz is fighting back when he's awake, not just lying there.

WarBrute
2007-11-13, 08:30 AM
Sarrok Balderk

The gnome for the frist noticing the little flying thing refouces his attention. Swifty he raises his corssbow to his eye and fires.

OOC:1d20+5=9 (http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=1370807):smallfrown: should I even make my damge roll 1d6+1=3 (http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=1370811)

lawful_evil
2007-11-13, 08:56 AM
Carter

Clearly disheartened by his previous attack, Carter swings his flail with apparent exhaustion. He steps back away from the Zombies, which would allow someone to flank with him(if they wanted). All the same, the disheartened attack misses by a long shot.


Kill LFD (1d20+9=11) (http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=1370832)
Why bother... (1d10+6=16) (http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=1370833)

figures...


Grrr. Carter growls, "Stand still you little flying demon."

Annalia
2007-11-13, 09:18 AM
Hertz

Feeling his strenght quickly fade, Hertz puts up a desperate attempt to shake the zombie off him. The grease didn't make it any easier, but at least it was probably hindering the creature as much as himself. Not that he had had much luck with breaking free so far.

Grapple check: 1d20+7=25! (http://roll.coyotecode.net/lookup.php?rollid=2791)
I swear, if you roll a 20 to counter this... :smalltongue:

oliana0
2007-11-13, 10:52 AM
Oliana


That wand attack was technically at the beginning on this round, right?

But, at the same time, LFD doesn't get to go again before O does? So, it's like she's at the bottom of the initiative. I'm going to post based on that understanding. Combined with the fact that she's going to engage the LFD and not the zombie, that should be okay. I hope.


Oliana smiles the first time in a while, then flinches slightly, her empty hand moving to her face as new skin is stretched. She quickly returns to using her magic wand against the little flying guy.

anIceFan
2007-11-13, 12:43 PM
Nalik

Hearing the commotion in the back, Nalik half turns and calls, Is everything alright back there, what is going on? He is afraid to take his attention away from his contemplation of Thor, and keeping Hertz alive.


trade trade trade the turn undead for sacred purification.
[roll0] oh yeah, and Carter too.

Holocron Coder
2007-11-13, 07:51 PM
"Won't this thing die?!" Deladus bemoans, swinging again at the zombie-creature.


[roll0]
[roll1]

dauphinous
2007-11-14, 08:14 AM
Oliana points her wand, says the command word and...nothing happens. The little flying guy snaps his fingers and turns invisible again. Sarrok fires a fruitless crossbow bolt that flies wide. Hengist seems to be unable to get to his feet, or do much of anything, really.

The zombie thing is finally pushed off by Hertz, finally managing to get a good enough hold to rip its mouth away from him. The motion causes it to stagger back and it slams against the wall of the pass, but doesn't seem particularly fazed by this.

Deladus and Sinssuret both swing fruitlessly at the now freed zombie thing, apparently surprised by Hertz's success. Nalik sends out one more pulse of energy that causes the zombie thing to screech. Carter listens carefully, but can't hear anything. He tries a swing anyway, but his flail hits only air.

initiative order:
Oliana 24 (+3hp)
little flying dude 24
Sarrok 22 (+3hp)
Hengist 19 (+3hp, prone)
icky bad thing 16 (1 left, partially damaged)
Hertz 15 (prone, 8/12, -7 Con)
Deladus 13 (+3hp)
Sinssuret 11 (+3hp)
Nalik 8 (+3hp)
Carter 5 (35/40)
Ziran 3 (+3hp)

No retros from those who didn't post. I've been pretty loose about the 24 hours in combat thing lately, but no more.

Hertz took one more point of Con damage. And finally beat my dice!

lawful_evil
2007-11-14, 09:24 AM
Carter

Carter fully expects to miss if he attacks the invisible creature. Carter holds his attack until he has a visible target to smash. All the same, Carter decides to provoke the LFD and says, "Come and get me you little fairy."



If he appears(in my square) I'll try to move to flank him(so I get a sneak attack).

KLFD (1d20+9=23) (http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=1372998)
KLFD (1d10+6=16) (http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=1373008)
KLFD - sneak(if applicable) (1d6=4) (http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=1373011)

oliana0
2007-11-14, 10:22 AM
Oliana

Oliana looks at the wooden stick she holds in her hand a little sad, then shrugs and grabs for her pack pulling out a scroll and replacing it with a stick. She studies the scroll a bit, preparing for when the creature reappears.


Grab scroll of Magic Missle, readied action to cast from it if the LFD reappears.
It's a 1 missle scroll.

So, how much was the wand worth when acquired?

Torger
2007-11-14, 12:04 PM
Hengist

With a roar of primal fury, Hengist lunges off the ground at the remaining Zombie, putting his full weight behind the thrust of his Boar spear.


Reflex Save; Attack; Balance; Damage (1d20+8=22, 1d20+8=16, 1d20+2=14, 1d8+3=10) (http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=1373211)

I'm hoping AC 16 is enough to hit a prone zombie, otherwise, I just bent my spearpoint

anIceFan
2007-11-14, 07:20 PM
Nalik

Hertz, get out of there.

Nalik moves forward to try and get to Hertz now that he has extricated himself from the zombie.


move forward as much as he can to get to Hertz. No healing yet, unless zombie guy gets another crack at the old man.

WarBrute
2007-11-14, 09:07 PM
Sarrok Balderk

Deciding shooting a small demon was futile Sarrok swiveled around and loaded crossbow. He hld his crossbow tight and fired at the zombie thing.

OOC:
nat 20!wait is it immune to crits :smallconfused: (http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=1374054)
Damage:1d6+1=6 (http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=1374056)
Very unlikley sneak attack damage 2d6=10 (http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=1374062):smallsigh:

Holocron Coder
2007-11-15, 07:12 AM
Deladus

Hope in his eyes since the other two zombies have dropped, Deladus swings again at the last one.


[roll0]
[roll1]

dauphinous
2007-11-15, 10:32 AM
With the combined onslaught of Hengist, Deladus, and Sarrok, the final zombie is beaten into a crunchy mess. Bright red blood oozes out of it as it twitches a little, then goes still.

Carter and Oliana are ready for the little flying man to reappear. They wait. And wait. The Grease spell where Hertz is evaporates, and still they wait. Neither human nor half-elf can hear any sounds that might give away its presence.

lawful_evil
2007-11-15, 12:32 PM
Carter

Sure, when I finally use my brain and come up with a plan, things change. Well, at least it left.

Carter relaxes and lowers his weapon. *ugh* "It seems to have turned invisible and flown away." Carter twists around looking for any sign and then flinches. "I think I may have pulled something, I've got this stabbing pain in my lower back."

Maybe we can take 10 minutes and rest.

oliana0
2007-11-15, 03:01 PM
Oliana

Oliana rolls the scroll back up and tucks it away. When Carter starts to complain about his back, she moves quickly to see what's wrong.


[roll0]

anIceFan
2007-11-15, 03:31 PM
Nalik

When the zombie goes down Nalik continues forward to care for Hertz. Able to concentrate only on the fallen man, he concentrates all of Thors blessings into healing him.

Once that is done, he leaves Hertz there to rest for a moment, telling Hengist and Deladus. Watch the front here, but do not advance. By the grace of Thor, if either of you step on that plate again I will kill you myself!

He then moves to the rear to find out what is going on with Carter.
What this, this is only a flesh wound! OK I will see what I can do.


cure moderate wounds for Hertz
[roll0]
[roll1] just in case that doesn't heal enough
Cure minor wounds for Carter gives him +2 HP, he was only down 5 right?

raspberrybadger
2007-11-15, 04:25 PM
Ziran Blueboots

Ziran says to Nalik in an urgent tone of voice "Just how urgent is it that I find the invisible flying attacker? Top priority?" He's visibly disturbed, though he doesn' say why. He's thinking Oliana and Carter weren't able to handle the thing - and it can turn invisible. Not good. And it can watch us and arrange something even nastier than itself. Not good. Not good.

If Nalik agrees, Ziran will use his See Invisibility scroll. Otherwise, he will simply use detect magic and hope the enemy is still within 60 feet.

Annalia
2007-11-15, 05:30 PM
Hertz

As the last zombie finally goes down, Hertz leans on the stone wall and sighs. He smiles at Nalik when the cleric heals him, but still looks rather pale and weak. "Thanks."

He glances at the revolving plate, quite in agreement with the idea of not stepping on them again. He preferred to lean on the wall, and listen to a conversation about a flying creature he hadn't even seen or been aware of.

lawful_evil
2007-11-18, 09:28 AM
Carter

When the commander complains about the wound, Carter says, "Sorry sir, I can't see the stab wounds in my back. If you think I'll be fine, then please save your blessings for those with more pressing needs."

With that Carter takes his place at the rear of the formation, though he sits down and leans against the wall to rest for a bit while everyone else gets ready to move out.

I guess slinging my shield on my back doesn't help that much.

Velvet Elvis
2007-11-19, 09:36 PM
Sinssuret

Sin's seemingly self-propelled spear darts back towards him, performs a blade-down flip and slides neatly into his makeshift sheath-strap.

"Well, that certainly pointed up a number of weaknesses in our collective defenses," he says, almost matter-of-factly. "As a well-known Sektid scholar once said, 'Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger, unless, of course, you are killed before you have time to learn from it.' He was a very pragamatic scholar."

He spins slightly toward Hertz and adds in an obviously apologetic tone, "Greatest apologies, my friend, for skewering you in error. It has been a long...very long...time since I've had a need to wield a weapon."

WarBrute
2007-11-19, 10:18 PM
Sarrok Balderk

The gnome holds a bolt in his left hand ready to load, his eyes darting wearily around for the missing demon. Sighing slightly he slides the bolt back in to its box and holds his crossbow limp. “Well then.” He says crouching down by the pressure plate, “I might as well try to disable it, less some other wanders fall into its trap. He stops for a moment, and looks up at Nalik “Unless you could see any reason I shouldn’t?”

Assuming he gets the go ahead, Sarrok pulls out a rather expensive looking kit and unrolls it at his feet and begins his work.

Disable device 1D20+8=17 (http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=1382515)

Holocron Coder
2007-11-20, 09:00 AM
Deladus

Never before having seen the likes, Deladus pokes the zombie creature with his hammer a few times. "What in Balder's name is this thing..." he mutters to himself.

Torger
2007-11-20, 10:03 AM
Hengist

Wrenching his spear from the creature with a wet tearing sound, Hengist observes the blackened ichor with some disgust. Dead men, given the semblance of life. The old tales speak fo such abominations. This is the work of Hel, or her minions. He casts a brief glance at the floating orb before wiping his spearpoint on a scrap of cloth and discarding it (the cloth).

oliana0
2007-11-20, 10:31 AM
Oliana

"Whatever that was, I has probably gone to tell its friends. So if Hertz can walk; we should get to some place more defensible."

"Hengist, what was inside that place?"

anIceFan
2007-11-20, 02:33 PM
Nalik

Nalik will not stop Sarrok from seeing what he can do with the zombie trap. He does realize that he was a little rough on Carter though.
Argh, I am sorry. It looks like that little bugger got you in a tender spot. If it is still giving you trouble when we stop for the night, I will make sure that you are back to 100%

After giving everyone a moment to recover.

Alright lets get ready to move. Sarrok, can you make anything of that?

Torger
2007-11-20, 03:04 PM
Hengist

Hengist has stepped over the trap plate, and is examining the train beyond for signs of passage when Oliana directs a question at him. Somewhat startled at being addressed, he looks briefly at her before resuming his work. It was a most unpleasant place, my friend alf. Cramped and dark and reeking of death. Without any warning, the chamber would shift, leaving me to scramble along and try and keep my footing. What was once the floor became the wall, and then the ceiling, before releasing me back into the light of Sol's radiance. A darker or more foul place, I have not been...

Hengist resumes his unbidden work as the small man disassembles the corpse prison, muttering about the darknesses found here in Markland...



+7 to search and survival. Any signs of passing?

Annalia
2007-11-20, 08:13 PM
Hertz

Hertz gives Sin's apologies a dismissive wave of the hand. "I've seen worse since I joined the Defenders. Just get better, and I'll forget." He makes ready to leave, still obviously not in best of shapes.

Velvet Elvis
2007-11-22, 05:47 AM
Sinssuret

A couple pairs of eyes already angled forward toward the trap, Hengist and the trail ahead catch the suspicious Vinlander's glance. By now, the man's remarks were expected and ignored. Sin had decided the world Hengist hailed from was one of rampant superstition supported by an undercurrent of ignorance. A mere matter of racial isolation, most likely; hardly his fault. Part of the academic training in the more philosophical inods included concepts of tolerance for such people, for there were many groups strewn about the lands. Of course, then, it was a discipline related to the Sektid's unique form amongst the intelligent races. Now, though his appearance was wildly different, the weight of such suspicions remained. It was becoming increasingly obvious to Sinssuret that some things were destined to never change.

Bipeds, he thought idly, as he returned most of his attention to the battered monk.

"I shall endeavor to retrain myself as quickly as possible, I can promise you that, at the very least."

dauphinous
2007-11-22, 09:11 AM
The Mountain Pass
around 11:30am

Sarrok is not able to access the mechanism, nor is he able to even find it. Hengist, being the first of the troop to venture to the other side of the trap, is able to take a look at the ground without any potential tracks being spoiled. There is sign of some kind of small animal, perhaps a rodent, passing through recently, and of one or more relatively large birds - such as an eagle or vulture - but nothing else.

WarBrute
2007-11-22, 12:02 PM
Sarrok Balderk

Sarrok shakes his head in response to Nalik’s question. “No… I just does make sense though” He leans back on his ankles and lay his palms flat on his legs. “I can make head nor tail of it. I have never encounter anything this complicated back in High Gate. He rolls up his kit carefully and places it back in his pack. He stands up and says “Well, I feel bad about just leaving here still armed, but I think it is time to head forward"

lawful_evil
2007-11-23, 07:26 AM
Carter

Having resumed a watch position at the rear of the formation, Carter keeps his ears open for invisible flappers and such. As a result he almost picks up what Sarrok said, but had a lot of trouble following the little man's train of thought.

Huh?

Annalia
2007-11-23, 08:41 AM
Hertz

"I'm under the impression this is a rotating device, and that it's now empty. Let's move on."

anIceFan
2007-11-23, 11:24 AM
Nalik

Yes, it is time to move forward. Let's join Hengist on the other side and move out. Everyone make sure to not step on the pressure plate. If you need help, we will use the rope.



I am thinking that most should be able to jump over this, now that we have removed the falling off the edge of a cliff obstacle. If not, we tie a rope around them and Hengist or someone gets to jerk them across.

Torger
2007-11-23, 01:58 PM
Hengist

Straightening, The large Vinlander stretches his back before leaning against the wall, ensuring the sharpness of his many and various weapons, and refolding his net. When the Dwarf indicates it is time to leave, he straightens out. There are no signs of passage here, unless this Elis is a rat in a more literal sense.

Velvet Elvis
2007-11-23, 09:17 PM
Sinssuret

Once on the move again, Sinssuret floats across the pressure plate like a silent zephyr. His many crowning eyes crane and reorient to get the best view of the path ahead, a couple watching the skies, one ahead, one behind.

"It has become most obvious that this path is an expected route to...wherever it is you suppose we're headed. Devices like the one we just passed are not placed randomly. I fear we are only being funneled into one after another; a one-sided war of attrition, leading to the ready mouth of the enemy. Are we certain there is no other path or means to reach the next goal? This just seems...like a gift."

dauphinous
2007-11-24, 07:40 AM
Now that the general idea and the size and shape of the pressure plate is known, everyone can work together to get the whole of the group over it without triggering it again. The path goes on, level for a bit, then going down again, then back up, though the incline is not terribly steep.

Sarrok notices and is able to prevent Hengist from triggering another trap. This one involves a scything blade at ankle level, and although neither man can figure out how to disarm it, they can point out the places to not step to avoid triggering it.

Over the River and Through the Woods?
2:30ish

Hengist rounds a corner, and it is clear that the pass has finally come to an end. The path leads down again, and the place where the river of lava dives down underground can be just made out to the right. There is a wide, flat area of land covered with low grasses over it, maybe 300 feet across. Just on the other side of that, a forest stretches a good distance north, east, and west. The way down to the 'bridge' is steeply sloped downwards, but straight and 10 to 15 feet wide. You have about 200 feet to go to reach the 'bridge', so the south edge of the forest is about 500 feet away.

Holocron Coder
2007-11-25, 08:17 PM
Deladus

"Finally! Something close to fresh air!" Deladus notes, spreading out his arms and breathing deep. "I am not sure about the rest of you, but our friend the Vinlander here was starting to stink up such small passages."

Smiling in jest, Deladus goes about trying on his new armor and warhammer. Both the shield and the weapon glow gently, moreso if viewed by magic eyes.


w00t, new level gear! :smallbiggrin:

+1 warhammer, +1 shield, MW full plate. I am now a tank.

Torger
2007-11-25, 08:51 PM
Hengist

Continuing his assigned task of examining the trail for spoor, he spares a single dark glance for Deadalus before resuming his work. I have killed men for less, friend. Just to give you fair warning. Hengist informed them all in a matter-of-fact tone. It was difficult to tell whether or not he was joking.

Holocron Coder
2007-11-25, 10:12 PM
Deladus

Torn between being put off by Hengist's response or continuing the line of joke, Deladus comments, "If you kill a man for lightening the morale at your expense, then it is hardly a surprise you needed a new group of Defenders."

Deladus grins.

Velvet Elvis
2007-11-25, 10:50 PM
Sinssuret

Hengist's remark began to make Sinssuret think the Vinlander and his kind--assuming he hadn't actually been banished from his own--were unsettlingly like Vulek's men. He thought to openly remark on the man's words, but left it as a thought: Hardly something to be proud of.

Deladus' remark changed his mind slightly, and he chuckled, "Indeed. Killing one's comrades tends to be self-defeating."

He changes the subject, speaking to all and no one.

"I rather expected to see an encampment of some sort; isn't that what you were looking for? Looks rather deserted, if far prettier than a cliffside."

anIceFan
2007-11-26, 06:17 PM
Nalik

Naliks joy at reaching the end of the pass is tempered by trepidation of what ills will befall them on this side. It is then shattered by the wordplay between Deladus and Hengist.
Enough! We are in enough danger right now without the two of you adding more.

Sarrok, see if you can make your way down there. Scout out a path to the trees, but don't enter in too far. Hengist, if you think you can make it down there, you join him. Everyone else, lets stay in this pass for now.

lawful_evil
2007-11-26, 07:30 PM
Carter

Carter marches along, constantly fidgeting in his new armor. Sure it looks nice, yeah its magic, but the straps need to be adjusted and doing a proper job of that'll take a good hour. At least the new sword has a nice scabbard, as opposed to that trident, which had been his backup weapon.

When the group stops at the top of the incline which leads down to the edge of a river of boiling lava, Carter takes a moment to be glad it isn't him. This armor is hot enough without all that heat from the lava.

While stopped Carter takes a moment to refocus on his job as rear guard. He looks around for trouble.

Torger
2007-11-26, 08:39 PM
Hengist

Tightening his grip on his Boar Spear, Hengist starts to move down the landbridge, his senses alert for any sign of foul play. His face is dark, though, and he broods over the Marklander's remarks. May the Gods take these Outlanders...

Not speaking, Hengist moves along one half of the bridge, working in concert with the small man with the large nose.



Search +7; Survival +7; Spot +6; Listen +6

raspberrybadger
2007-11-27, 10:32 AM
Ziran Blueboots

Ziran hears the joking up ahead, but he's uncomfortable with Hengist's aggressiveness, and he's just not in the mood to join in. This latest ambush has left him feeling a little helpless in the face of what he assumes is an endless series of potentially deadly attacks.

Once the group is into a steady marching routine, Ziran whispers to Oliana "What exactly are we doing? I mean, we're supposed to fight back next time we get jumped by whatever ambush hits us next, I know that. By now we've got repeated training in being jumped by who knows what each time. We react well enough to survive, I suppose. Beyond reacting, what are we supposed to be looking for, so we can get out of always reacting, never getting anywhere? Do you have a plan worked out that I could help with, a plan for doing more than surviving this march? How are you thinking we'll get out of this endless march of ambushes?"

As he talks, Ziran stuffs down a mounting feeling that the group is on a doomed or useless mission, saying to himself that Oliana will have an answer. He's aware that he's being uncharactaristically vulnerable, but he justifies this to himself on the grounds that Oliana is another spellcaster, she's not a gnome, and most importantly she might actually be able to help. Having a better chance to survive this string of ambushes and traps gives him a pretty solid seeming justification for risking talking about himself, even indirectly.

WarBrute
2007-11-27, 08:38 PM
Sarrok Balderk

Sarrok nods at Nalik's commands. Loading his crossbow he begins his desenct towards the bridge. He looks up at Hengist and says "Keep your eyes trained, pit traps and pungi sticks could be concealed in the low grass"

dauphinous
2007-11-27, 09:00 PM
The gnome and his hulking shadow descend out of the pass to the land below. The low grass certainly offers no cover of any kind - they are quite fully exposed to anything that might be lurking in the forest. Everyone else halts and can see the two men make their slow progress across to the forest.

Sarrok:About halfway across, the ground is covered with caltrops, both real and poor man's varieties (broken glass, large thorns from plants, etc.). They are a little denser than the routine distribution. It would take about 5 minutes per five foot square to clear a path through it all, or one could just try to step carefully enough to avoid them. This would mean moving 5 feet per round, with no ability to take a 5 foot step, and you'd still have a 5% chance to step on them anyway, once per square.

Hengist:There are tracks, before you get very far over the river of lava, of medium sized creatures in boots. They walked through in both directions, and all around. There were at least 8 different creatures, possibly as many as 12.

Torger
2007-11-27, 09:15 PM
Hengist

Hengist stops, crouching low to examine a tramped wildflower. Men have passed this way, perhaps as many as a dozen. Both coming and going over the ground here. Perhaps your erstwhile companion?

Hengist straightens up, curious as to whether it would be in their best interests to proceed. After all, one does not taunt a bare in its cave...

WarBrute
2007-11-27, 09:52 PM
Sarrok Balderk

"Be Still!” Sarrok says in a loud whisper. He kneels down looking towards forest. "This whole place has prep for an ambush. He adjust his goggles before standing up. "We have to move back, and report our findings." He takes one last look at the forest before he turns and head back up towards the group at a fast jog.

Upon reaching Nalik, Sarrok slows and says "The place has been covered thickly with caltrops. It is a perfect place for an ambush. Hengist also seemed to have found tracks suggesting human activity" Report done Sarrok steps to the side and waits for a command.

anIceFan
2007-11-28, 12:31 PM
Nalik

Nalik listens to the report, and tries to figure out how they can get a group across 500 feet of open ground into a possible ambush.

Ziran, how far can you project one of your illusions? I would like to see if there is someone out there watching. My thought is, we can project an illusion of the group walking out there and trying to work through the caltrops. Then if they attack, we can attack the attackers.

Torger
2007-11-28, 01:45 PM
Hengist

Hengist is certainly not enjoying his first assignment. The entire concept of a Hierarchy based on, apparently, arbitrary qualifications, rather then real, measurable strength and prowess or the wisdom of ages is entirely foreign to him. Having come to the realization that he is definitely not well-liked in thsi group, and having the point so eloquently illustrated by the liud-mouthed human in the overly-pretty armour, Hengist has just resolved to hold his peace and not speak unless spoken to.

Of course, as soon as he made this resolution, Nalik sets his new plan into motion. Wrestling briefly with himself, Hengist draws a breath, releasing it slowly, before speaking. Forgive my obvious ignorance of the way affairs are conducted in Markland, but would that not be, if you'll forgive the term, stupid? If they are indeed watching, which experience has lead me to believe that they most definitely are, then they clearly saw myself and this small man... Hengist indicates Sarrok, having never been actually introduced, and unable to recall his name. ...Move to the field, examine things, and come racing back. If it were me who had laid the ambush, I would take this to mean that at least one of my traps have been discovered, and would alter my plans to draw us into yet another trap on this suicidal quest for vengeance. Sir. Hengist seemed to have taxed the very limits of his social grace, tact, and politeness in that speech, and not waiting for a response, nods once to Nalik and walks over to the cliff face, doffing his backpack and redistributing some equipment.

oliana0
2007-11-28, 02:20 PM
Oliana

Oliana listens to the tall man's speech with mild amusement until he begins to speak of vengeance, at which point her face chances and gets rather upset.

"First off, for you to suggest that a plan lacks foresight is ..." Oliana ponders a moment then continues, "There is no proper analogy that expresses the level of irony that thought illicits. Second, today, your brash actions nearly killed four people, including ME. In that respect the only thing suicidal about our mission is having you make decisions. THIRD, our mission is to find out more about the threat to Highgate. The fact that it coincides with tracking down the killer of those of our ranks is just gravy to our situation."

Oliana turns back to address the rest of the party. "And finally, with respect to the plan, an illusion might at very least increase the likely hood of us not getting snuck up on while we try to descend and cross over the lava. If we add to that the likelihood that any ambush would come from the trees over there, we might be able to get a few of them out of cover enough to increase our odds. We would also have the benefit of having the higher ground, and not getting into a fight so periously close to the lava; burnt alive twice in one day is not on my list of things that I need to do." Oliana throws one last piercing glance at Heingist.

"Does anyone else feel that?"

lawful_evil
2007-11-28, 04:51 PM
Carter

Carter does his best to keep his voice down and yet still allow the interested parties to hear him. At Oliana's request for information he says, "Can we please keep a little discipline. This is not the proper forum to question the leadership of our chain of command."

He pauses to nod is head towards Corporal Nalik and continues, "Corporal Nalik is in command and I am sure he values your input, but it would be more proper to wait until he solicits inputs from us."

He turns to Hengist and although he agrees this mission is totally going the wrong way, he knows this isn't the proper place or time to discuss it. He says, "Our ways are different. Corporal Nalik has more wisdom than I can comprehend. He is obviously concerned with our safety and has no doubt weighed numerous possibilities that I haven't even thought of. I'm sure to an outsider his wisdom may look to be idiocy, but it just appears that way."

He steps back and motions his large calloused hand towards Nalik again and says, "One should not publicly question those in command. In private or at least off to the side, is much more appropriate, but having accepted this military life, you must also accept that those in command do not always make the decisions you would. All the same it is your duty follow their orders."

Looking down the hill at the forest and the small section of land that they found the tracks and caltrops on, Carter offers, "We can always go around, or at least try to go around. Although maybe the point of the caltrops was to corral us out of the middle of the clearing and against the wall. There is no reason we need go anywhere near the lava and to do so would be unwise as that land is obviously geologically unstable."

Carter looks back to the forest and says, "In any case, to stand here and argue in plain sight from the forest seems unwise. As I said before, I'm sure Corporal Nalik has considered these things. He didn't order Private Ziran to make they illusion, he simply wished to know if it was possible. Lets all just back down, maintain a little discipline and allow him to make his decision."

Carter, feeling he's interposed himself a bit too much, blushes and steps shyly back to the rear of the formation. He then turns away to watch the rear, although he can still feeling the piercing gaze of the everyone.

Holocron Coder
2007-11-28, 06:03 PM
Deladus

The newly geared warrior nods in agreement with Carter, glancing at the forest as it is mentioned.

Velvet Elvis
2007-11-29, 06:06 AM
Sinssuret

Having remained relatively silent for most of the trek from the last staged trap, and having his earlier question regarding the possibility of alternate routes to avoid further such devices entirely ignored, Sinssuret was somewhat reluctant to speak. Even moreso now that the brusque tracker had so ineloquently insulted the designated leader of the troupe.

He spoke, anyway, clearing his throat to gain attention, a sound that resembled the deep rumble of shifting stones.

"It would be beneficial to us to know what lurks in the trees on the other side, would it not?" he asked the dwarf.

Annalia
2007-11-29, 09:08 AM
Hertz

Hertz grunts slightly at Carter's arguments, frowning at their form more than their meaning. He trusted Nalik's decisions, but to imply the dwarf had considered every option possible was to elevate him above human - or dwarven, for that matter - norm.

At Sin's questions, he asks "Didn't Ziran have a bat?"

oliana0
2007-11-29, 01:43 PM
Oliana

"Bats don't see to well." Oliana looks a little distracted.

"Seriously, no one else here feels this weird sensation of awareness?" Oliana looks around with a concerned look on her face.

raspberrybadger
2007-11-30, 02:50 AM
Ziran Blueboots

Ziran waits for the argument to die down and then replies to Nalik "I can stretch one to 500 feet away. Enough to make this work, if I understand correctly. Standard group of soldiers marching? Or something more exotic?"

His voice is more than a little strained, as is his face. Oliana's last statement is quite troubling, and he's afraid that if the group is already watched, an illusion might not do much good, unless the enemy is a little on the stupid side.

Velvet Elvis
2007-11-30, 03:45 AM
Sinssuret

Sin sighs quietly and his eyestalks wiggle briefly. He considers the oddly short grass for a moment, then decides a response to his question didn't really matter. The blades were too short and too regular to be serviceable, anyway.

He dismissed his thoughts and refocused on the efficacy of the gnome's illusion. "I expect that would flush out some visible response. We'll all need to get out of sight, first, to make it convincing. No doubt we're being watched." He then rotated to face Oliana, and said, "In fact, I wouldn't be at all surprised if the little imp that disappeared back there in the pass isn't pacing us, watching and listening right now. Perhaps that's the odd feeling you're experiencing?"

oliana0
2007-11-30, 09:47 AM
Oliana

"Something about the feeling just feels.... right. Huh. Oh well, let's hide!" Oliana tries to push the feelings aside.

WarBrute
2007-12-02, 09:57 PM
Sarrok Balderk

Sarrok bites back a retort after Hengist's insulting use of the words "Small man", knowing that Nalik, first-in-command, would not approve.

The Gnome shifts uncomfortably at Sins' words. A life of chasing criminals has shaped to always be a little paranoid, and the idea of and invisible stalker is setting him on edge.

lawful_evil
2007-12-05, 06:20 AM
Carter

Over hearing Olianna, Carter gets up and turned around, ready to march back up and around the bend, so the group can hide. Unsure what we are hiding from, Carter is unsure exactly how far to go.

Once he senses that everyone else has stopped, Carter will squat down, ready his weapons and wait for the coming attack.

dauphinous
2007-12-06, 12:41 PM
Everyone troops back to the last bend in the pass. Ziran's illusion, a weaving of the entire group, begins to march back down to the area covered by caltrops and similar objects. They walk down, then begin picking their way across. The illusion is unmolested as it moves. Ziran has to move up a little bit to do it, but he marches them all the way up to the treeline, and still nothing happens.

lawful_evil
2007-12-08, 07:17 AM
Carter

After a minute or two of squatting here waiting, Carter realizes he's not sure what they are waiting for, so he whispers, "What are we waiting for? I mean, how will we know if it works?"

Reaching down, Carter flicks a bug off his boot. The bug, something small and black, was taking advantage of the parties tactic to scout Carter for some new food sources.

Velvet Elvis
2007-12-08, 12:21 PM
Sinssuret

With most of his eyes watching the progress of the illusionary band as it traipses across the field, he answers Carter's undirected question once the illusion reaches the other side.

"Well, it appears the question is moot, at this point. The something we seem to have hoped for hasn't occurred. Perhaps the array of obstacles in the field was left over from something entirely unrelated to our expected passage? Or perhaps those watching from over there are clever enough to have figured out our ruse."

It was unhelpful, and mostly obvious, but he felt inclined to say something. The illusion seemed like a clever idea, but either this group of Defenders was chasing ghosts, or they'd need to devise something a bit more insidious. If only the grass were taller, his own plan would deliver far more information than a blind illusion.

"What we need is a brave scout to get a personal look over there."

Fortunately, Sin didn't look anything like a brave scout.

lawful_evil
2007-12-08, 04:01 PM
Carter

Watching that floaty thing keep peeking around the corner and over our cover, it is no wonder that the ruse didn't work. It'd be hard enough to believe and illusion of this group, much less one being followed by that aberration.

Carter offers to take one for the team and go down and check out the clearing. "Bravery I have. I can go down to the briarcaltrop patch and check things out."

Torger
2007-12-08, 06:17 PM
Hengist Magnusson

Hengist sat in brooding silence against the cliff face, waiting for the inevitable failure of the asinine plan. Taking the downtime to his advantage, he's refolded his net and re-honed the edges on the perfusion of weapons he carried. Leaning heavily on his favoured Boar spear, Hengist makes the long trek back to his feet.

Clearly, as the Creature has indicated, this exercise into futility has failed to bear fruit. He does, however, raise a point. Seomone must scout the woods. He turns to Carter and claps the other large man on the shoulder You, my friend, while clearly not lacking in bravery, do lack the skills of stealth and tracking, both of which I possess in abundance, as does my small compatriot. He is, however, far more skilled than I with the variety of traps you are likely to encounter, whereas I, as always, remain the Woodsman. Therefor, with Baldur's grace, and by your leave, I will scout the forest. Should I fall at the hands of your "Elis" creature, all of my skills are duplicated by at least one of your number; the loss will not be great, and perhaps tales of my actions will reach my kin in Vinland. By your leave...

Hengist bows from the waist, no more than a 10 degree inclination, before moving off toward the woodlands, keeping to she shadows as much as possible more out of a habit than out of any real ability to be stealthy, given the nature of the ground.


Unless stopped, Hengist will take it upon himself to scout the territory in and around the forest. Maybe someone can cast Alarm on him, so you can tell if he's jumped. :P

Hide +7, Move Silently +8, Listen +6, Search +7, Spot +6, Survival +7

WarBrute
2007-12-08, 07:10 PM
Sarrok Balderk

Sarrok reaches up and grabs on the Man's belt. " Hold on you big oaf, we wouldn't want break up our dynamic duo, now. He catches up with Hengist’s large stride and walks beside him towards the forest “Any someone will need to retrieve your body from the trap.” He similes and slowly he loads his crossbow.

lawful_evil
2007-12-08, 08:35 PM
Carter

Rejected again. Carter, lacking the will, and verbal dexterity to argue effectively, simply sighs and steps back to the rear of the formation. In the rear with the gear. Again.

As Carter walks past the many eye'd floating sphere, Carter feels their critical gaze upon him and he briefly snaps, "What're you looking at?"

Carter doesn't wait for an answer, but keeps moving, knowing the sphere, with its brain the size of a watermelon can out think him anyway. Oh, why bother.

Velvet Elvis
2007-12-09, 03:46 AM
Sinssuret

Sin floated to the side enough to allow Carter to move through easily. Indeed, a few eyes--well, four to be honest--were trained on him, but it only made sense at the moment.

At this question, Sin's answer was pragmatic and free of sarcasm, as well as free of humor and downright obvious: "Oh, many things. Many things."

His remaining two stalks remained trained on the duet clandestinely slinking across the open field. He could see them quite easily, and imagined anything in those trees could, as well, though with a bit more difficulty identifying exactly what they were, due to distance.

To himself more than anyone, he remarked, "They really should try to hide better." The grass, of course, and dearth of bushes rendered the statement somewhat unfair. Only the most skilled members of the Stalker's inod could ever manage what was most needed here: to hide in open sight. A stray thought on that topic passed through his middle consciousness, vaguely reminding him what a shame it was that they were all dead thousands of years by now.

Even so, he felt he could do better himself, but was reluctant to make such an open offer. "I hope they make it safely," he added finally, his tone making the underlying intent of the words uncertain.

dauphinous
2007-12-09, 08:56 AM
The two men do their best to not be seen by anything in the trees, but there really isn't any way to avoid it. With nothing to hide behind or in the shadows of, they might as well put on parade dress uniforms and march across. That at least might make someone think they are crazy enough to be left alone.

As it is, they reach the field of caltrops without any sign of attackers in the trees. Moving carefully across the field to reach the treeline, Hengist and Sarrok take several minutes to search around and just within the trees, but find nothing of note.

Velvet Elvis
2007-12-11, 06:12 AM
Sinssuret

As if charging himself with the duty of keeping an eye or four on the scouts' progress, Sin's stalks lean forward as if the extra few inches made their distant images that much clearer at this range.

In a low, gravelly voice he says, "It's difficult to tell, but there appears to have been no ambush. They've moved about in the forward trees without incident." He allows his stalks to return to their normal half-lolling, half-erect state and rotates slightly to face Nalik, dropping a foot lower to reach an equal level.

"It appears there's no threat there, after all. Or the threat is being cagey and waiting until it can ambush the entire party once we think we're safe to cross." Ah yes, the yin and yang of conceptual duality. A nice thing taught in all the inods in an effort to ensure every graduate would consider events from both sides of any dividing line. Unfortunately, it often led to hesitation and debate, which was not quite the intended result.

The tip of a thick, wide purple tongue inched out a bit and flicked idly at a particularly long tooth at a corner of Sin's mouth, then retracted quickly. "Tricky."

oliana0
2007-12-11, 10:31 AM
Oliana

"I guess we should all go then?" Oliana speaks quietly, still looking around and seeing nothing.


Will follow when appropriate

lawful_evil
2007-12-11, 10:50 AM
Carter

Not willing to take commands or even suggestions from 'The Thing', Carter waits till Olianna suggests it before standing to move out.

Carter readies his weapon and gets himself positioned at 'rear guard' for the march over the hill and to the woods.

Holocron Coder
2007-12-11, 04:05 PM
Deladus

Watching the men in the distance, Deladus replies, "Ambush or no, nothing will happen until we get down there. We'll just be careful, like always, eh?"

Deladus grins in humor, looking to Nalik.

dauphinous
2007-12-11, 07:12 PM
Another Day, Another Forest
1pmish

Nalik okays the march down as Sarrok and Hengist seem to be finding nothing. Once the team hits the area with caltrops and such, the going gets much slower, but the trees are reached without incident.

The trees in this forest are mostly evergreens, and grow close together. Once inside the treeline, it is not possible to walk in a strictly straight line. The place is eerily silent, as if the trees themselves hold their breaths in anticipation of what brilliant plan the group will come up with next.

lawful_evil
2007-12-11, 07:40 PM
Carter

As Carter carefully picks his way through the caltrops, he does his best not to make noise, which, of course he fails to do. Not wanting to add to the noise he was already making he decides not to suggest that someone pickup the a bunch of the caltrops in case they come in handy.

Carter also stays well away from the lava flow, not wanting to take a chance on the stability of the ground and plunge to his death.

Torger
2007-12-11, 07:46 PM
Hengist Magnusson

Roughly 10 feet in past the treeline, Hengist waits for the others, crouched lo to the ground and seeking spoor. When the clanking of armour heralds the arrival of the others, he straightens up. and turns to face them.

There are nothing to report here.

WarBrute
2007-12-12, 12:35 AM
Sarrok Balderk

"Henigst reports true, these nothing, which worries me. I can understand why they would wait for the rest you to aproach before an ambush... But still they may have abandoned their post long ago." He shifts, not satisfied with his own remarks. "I can see no reason to stay stantionary for long, we should continue forward, perhaps we can find the camp of these would-be ambushers."

Annalia
2007-12-12, 03:17 PM
Hertz

"Move forward and be careful, as always." Hertz comments. "It feels like they always know in advance what we will be doing."

Velvet Elvis
2007-12-13, 02:52 AM
Sinssuret

"It certainly is quiet in these woods. Inordinately so," Sin observes with obvious suspicion, and with at least a couple stalked eyes peering about, half-lidded as if squinting for better focus.

"Something tells me that if we're to affect a positive fate in the face of our uncertainty, we need a truly brilliant plan from our wise leader." He doesn't bother to turn toward Nalik, but rather begins to focus all eyes in various directions, obviously expecting an ambush far more than sudden brilliance.

OOCSpot check whether it's needed or not: [roll0]

dauphinous
2007-12-13, 08:23 AM
The Forest of Impending Doom
2pmish

The group moves through the trees, headed, for lack of a better direction, north. After an hour of twig snapping, needle crunching, and small animal scaring up, the team fully within the forest, surrounded on all sides by a near oppressive silence. The animals and birds seem disinclined to do even so much as breathe in the presence of so many people. There has been no sign of the passage of anything larger than a squirrel.

Holocron Coder
2007-12-13, 11:34 AM
Deladus

"So... does anyone feel like we have been jumping at shadows?" Deladus notes, looking up into the canopy of trees for anything living.

lawful_evil
2007-12-13, 11:51 AM
Carter

Ah, a nice spooky forest. Kind of makes you want to jitterbug. I hope we don't get attacked by any flying monkeys.

Carter pauses, turns around. Stands still for a good 30 seconds, looking and listening. He then turns back around and hustles back up to the group.

Torger
2007-12-13, 01:46 PM
Hengist Magnusson

Hengist ranges 30+ feet ahead of the others, moving with his usual silence, and distancing himself from the clamor of the others moving through the underbrush. He looks for signs of spoor, less interested, now, in the invisible, imaginary threat, and more interested in dinner.



Hide +7, Listen +6, Move Silently +8, Survival +7

raspberrybadger
2007-12-14, 01:11 AM
Ziran Blueboots

Ziran asks "whether we've been outsmarting thin air or thick air with that illusion." Then he keeps moving with the group in silence. This just doesn't seem like a joking environment.

Torger
2007-12-14, 05:58 AM
Hengist

As the group blunderes through the forest, they, once again, come upon Hengist, and he looks less than pleased (Not that he's ever been accused of excess joviality).

We seem to have an issue.

oliana0
2007-12-14, 10:58 AM
Oliana

"Did you hit it with a stick already?" Oliana smirks.

Torger
2007-12-14, 12:20 PM
Hengist

Hengist glowers menacingly at the demi-human, but refuses to rise to her bait. He turns back to indicate depressions in the ground. We are going in Circles.

lawful_evil
2007-12-14, 02:08 PM
Carter

eh?

Carter looks behind the group to make sure another copy of The Defenders isn't sneaking up on them.

Carter glances over at Hengist and his foot prints.

How can he tell its a circle from just that. It could be an oval. Maybe were stuck in one of those teleportation traps.

Carter shrugs his shoulders and then looks around focusing his attention high up in the trees.

Annalia
2007-12-14, 03:07 PM
Hertz

"If we walk back the way we came, do you believe we will leave the forest or simply walk the same path backward?" Hertz asked him, glancing back.

oliana0
2007-12-14, 10:38 PM
Oliana

Oliana furrows her brow. "Magic or bad navigation?"

Velvet Elvis
2007-12-15, 05:13 AM
Sinssuret

Sin grumbled his assent to the obvious inference of Oliana's remark, though anyone but he would be hard-pressed to recognize the noise as such.

Hengist was the de facto leader tacitly assigned to lead us through the wilderness, at least that seemed to be the mostly unspoken idea, and one often taken for granted by Hengist himself. The announcement that they'd been traveling in circles cast a rather dark cloud over his self-vaunted abilities.

Sin decided to be helpful again.

"Perhaps someone could climb one of these trees--a tall one--and have a look about at the surrounding terrain. A landmark would be useful, as would a clear look at the sky to gain a better fix on relative directions."

He learned that from one of the junior trackers in the Finders inod. He failed and was ejected from training due to not being able to distinguish between a red-tailed vankish lizard--a decidedly venomous variety--and a red-tailed simik lizard--a decidly innocuous type. His failure was, of course, fatal. Death is as good a grounds for training rejection as any other. Still, he seemed to have learned the basics of wilderness navigation before that incident.

He felt compelled to add, "And be wary of red-tailed lizards. Just in case."

WarBrute
2007-12-16, 03:32 PM
Sarrok Balderk

Sarrok shrugs and takes the duty of tree climbing upon himself. Looking for the highest tree first then begins his ascent

Climb check 1d20+5=21 (http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=1429719)

Torger
2007-12-16, 04:38 PM
Hengist

Hengist stands, draing himself to his full height and leaning on his Boarspear. You try my patience, little alf. I have not lost myself in the woods since I was a boy. Seeing as Odin has seen fit to grant you access to his powers, perhaps you, in your supposed wisdom can determine the nature of the witchcraft that has befallen us.

dauphinous
2007-12-16, 07:58 PM
The Forest of Impending Doom?
About 5pm

There is a very feminine giggle that can be heard somewhere nearby. Where exactly it is coming from is difficult to tell. It might be to the left, or it might be to the right. Or maybe it's coming from straight up. Or everywhere at once. It could be that the trees themselves are giggling.

Torger
2007-12-16, 08:17 PM
Hengist

Hengist stiffens at the giggling, and then tilts his head, ranging the signal. Two of them. Carter! 20 feet that way! Hangist points off to his right before moving to the left, spear at the ready, seeking the source of the voice.

WarBrute
2007-12-16, 08:42 PM
Sarrok Balderk

From above the defenders below here Sarrok gasp a loud. "By Odin's eye!" They here him see "The sky its... its green!" Theres the sound of leaves shaking as the gnome leaps down. His eyes remain focused on the canopy above. "It must be a trick, some kind of trap we trigger. Its just forest all around. No moutains, no passes. Just tree after tree and green sky!"

oliana0
2007-12-16, 11:00 PM
Oliana

When Hengist replies to her Oliana shrigs and says "Magic, then." When Sarok confirms the situation is not typical, and the trees seem to begin laughing, Oliana reaches for a small stick she carries, contemplates putting her back to a tree, then decides not to.

Oliana peers around trying to determine what sort of trick this is.


If she can, a Spellcraft/Knowlege arcana check...
Spellcraft +11, Knowlege Arcana +9
Thank you.

raspberrybadger
2007-12-16, 11:14 PM
Ziran Blueboots

Ziran whispers to Oliana and Carter in a concerned tone of voice "This is not good." He then casts detect magic, starting the detection cone pointing straight up, then looking forward and then in a circle around clockwise.

Velvet Elvis
2007-12-17, 02:35 AM
Sinssuret

A state of confusion was building rapidly, and Sinsurret didn't want to be left out.

"There! Over there! I saw something moving in the bushes! There!" Even with the time that'd passed, Sin still hasn't quite learned to react naturally to not having any arms. 'There' meant little without proper context, and bushes were all about. Without a neck, even the less obvious indicator of a goosenecking gesture wasn't happening.

So he did the best he could.

All eyestalks began repeatedly jerking back and forth, effectively pointing out to the left, a gesture to which he added, "About eight or nine paces!" Now, he didn't pause to ask if paces still meant anything, or the same thing this far forward in time. In fact, even in his original Sektid form, he never paced--no legs prevented that. It was a term used in the common tongue as an accomodation to bipeds, so really, they should understand it, shouldn't they?

lawful_evil
2007-12-17, 07:17 AM
Carter

Carter looks for approval from the commander before moving off. Carter points to the right with his left hand and responds to Hengist, "I heard it too" He then points to the left with his right hand and adds, "but also over there." Carter quickly uncrosses his arms and prepares to move out.

Assuming the commander doesn't provide a hasty objection, Carter moves 15 feet to the right. At that point he starts swinging his massive weapon around and around, letting the balls occasionally clip the nearby trees, scattering bark and wood fragments in the area. He then slowly moves forward continuing the intimidation affect till hes at about 25 feet.

Annalia
2007-12-18, 12:26 AM
Hertz

When Hertz notices Hengist moving away quickly, he barely resists facepalming. Instead he sighs, remembering quite clearly the first time he had done that mistake: orcs had come inches from killing him off. "Hengist, come back!" He calls out, quite aware the man would likely not listen.

Holocron Coder
2007-12-18, 12:19 PM
Deladus

Deladus can only blink in confusion at the giggling trees and seemingly random antics of his fellows. Sighing in mild frustration, the fighter turns to Oliana and asks, "What's going on? Green sky, giggling trees?"

dauphinous
2007-12-18, 07:01 PM
The giggling ceases immediately as soon as Hengist strikes off to the side. A veritable downpour of acorns, pine cones, and small rocks starts to fall over everyone. Whatever is causing the unpleasant rain to fall, it doesn't seem to be lacking in ammunition, as it falls and falls and falls.

anIceFan
2007-12-18, 07:13 PM
Nalik

Nalik's frustration boils over as he is hit with bad news after bad news. Drawing his warhammer he calls out.
That is enough of your little game. Show yourself or leave us be.

lawful_evil
2007-12-18, 07:28 PM
Carter

Carter calls out, "Ha!" {{Intimidate check?}}

Come on... what was that bit.... sticks and stones...

Hmm.

Oh wait.. break your bones!

Carter squats down and hunches over a bit so that his shield(which is strapped to his back) is now on top. Not that'd should help, cause this is all probably an illusion anyway.

Can you eat acorns? Squirrel seem to. Maybe they thing we look hungry. What is with the stones?

Velvet Elvis
2007-12-19, 05:51 AM
Sinssuret

The others, even the gnomes, could bear the pelting of the various small objects better than Sin. Not so much due to relative size or because it hurt--his thick hide made it more like raindrops on thick leaves--but because he had to shut his eyes to avoid damage, and that made him very uncomfortable. He couldn't even seek cover properly.

"Stop, stop, stop! We're friendly! Defenders of the nearby region, just like you defend the forest!" It sounded a little whiney, even through the deep voice, but despite that and the subtlety of its pitiful nature, like that of a skinny child attempting to get the bully to lighten his assault, it was actually true. Except, perhaps, for the inclusion of Hengist in the "friendly" part...but that little detail was best kept quiet for everyone's sake.

oliana0
2007-12-19, 01:18 PM
Oliana

Oliana grumbles a bit and slips her robe's hood over her head. She then starts collecting a pile of the mysteriously flammable debris.

Oliana speaks softly as if to herself, "If this is an illusion, it shouldn't catch on fire."

Holocron Coder
2007-12-19, 02:50 PM
Deladus

"Gah!" Deladus exclaims, holding his shield in front of his face, peering around from underneath it.

Annalia
2007-12-19, 04:29 PM
Hertz

Without shield or robes, Hertz was left as uncovered as Sin. Smaller eyes did help, but the acorns and rocks were quite irritating. Which is probably the goal. He expected them to laugh at Nalik's call and throw more acorns as an answer.

He glanced up a few times, but the incredible amount of ammunitions made him believe they were either illusions or that whatever creature was up there could create them at will. Either way, he was incredibly tempted to just climb up the tree and see.

WarBrute
2007-12-19, 05:37 PM
Sarrok Balderk

“Fire?! Oliana? Fire?" Sarrok shouted over the tumult of the falling rocks and acorns. He looked up towards the canopy his thick goggles protecting his eyes “We’re in the middle of an endless forest and you want to set it on fire!" He ducks his head searching for the other gnome "Ziran! If its an illusion shoudn't notice it?"

dauphinous
2007-12-19, 05:46 PM
The falling stones and such lessens very slightly, as if, perhaps, a few hands have stopped helping. Then something explodes on Carter's shield, letting out a huge, deafening roar. Another one blows up on the ground next to Sinssuret, and a third hits Hertz squarely in the back. There is very little to see from these explosions - they seem to be sonic attacks rather than anything of flame.

Hengist disappears behind a tree.

Everyone but Hengist: Fort save DC 15. Success: 3 points sonic damage. Failure: 6 points sonic damage + deafened.

oliana0
2007-12-19, 05:53 PM
Oliana

"Fine!" As Oliana reaches into her bag for something the explosions ring out. She flinches as the sounds boom, but continues to pull out a rope. She fastens the rope to a tree.

"Who wants to test how far this 'forest' goes?"

[roll0]

Holocron Coder
2007-12-19, 06:29 PM
Deladus

Deladus flinches at the sounds and explosions, but is perfectly fine other than some minor pain.


[roll0]

anIceFan
2007-12-19, 07:20 PM
Nalik

Nalik believes his plea/demand is receiving a favorable reaction, when he is shocked by a myriad of explosions. He reaches up to grab his ears as they become useless flaps of flesh. Looking around he can see everyone pantamiming their reactions to the explosions.

WHY ARE YOU ATTACKING US, WHAT HAVE WE DONE TO YOU.

In a panic, he pulls his shield over his head to protect himself from further damage.



[roll0]

lawful_evil
2007-12-19, 10:03 PM
Carter

"Ow, Ow, make it stop."

Carter shuffles a couple extra feet further from the group, so that he isn't caught in any overlapping sonic attacks.


Sonic Pine Cone Resistance (1d20+6=15) (http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=1436827)

That was close...

Annalia
2007-12-19, 11:24 PM
Hertz

"Ha!" Hertz instinctively covers his ears with his hands. "Oliana's idea is good. Follow the rope, there's no point in staying here." Dazed, panting from even the slight wound, Hertz took a javeling out and pushed Sin lightly with the butt end. "Hey, Sin. Bite and I can pull you along."

"Nalik! Staying is useless, we should move. They'll continue throwing stuff at us." He'd called loudly to their leader, unaware the sonic blasts had deafened him.

OOC:
Fortitude Save: 1d20+3=21. (http://roll.coyotecode.net/lookup.php?rollid=3749) Hm, good roll! Good thing, with that Con penalty.

WarBrute
2007-12-19, 11:30 PM
Sarrok Balderk

The Gnome shakes his head from side to side as the sonic burst hits. Without Covering his face the gnome runs to the rope and grabs on tightly.

Fort save 1d20+4=20 (http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=1436929)

oliana0
2007-12-20, 08:17 AM
Oliana

"Someone needs to stay and make sure the rope stays tied. Otherwise it could just come loose and we'd just be walking in circles with a rope dangling behind us."

lawful_evil
2007-12-20, 08:28 AM
Carter

Oh, yeah... in the rear with the gear... or rope in this case.

Carter says, "Very well. Just get moving. I have more rope if what you have doesn't cover it."

Carter hustles over and grabs the rope at the point of attachment to the tree. He is still hunched over protecting himself as much as possible from the assault.

dauphinous
2007-12-20, 10:45 AM
As Oliana finishes tying her rope to a tree, a branch comes swinging through, whacking into her body and sweeping her to the side and off her feet. She hits another tree with a light thud, but manages to keep her feet after that.

The knot unties with no apparent outside influence.

There are more sonic explosions dispersed through the group.

Everyone but Hengist:Fort save DC 15. Success = 2 points of damage. Failure = deafened and 4 points of damage.

Oliana:4 points of damage from the branch.

Ziran:Okay, now that with the knot in the rope was magical. The branch through the air was not, and none of the things falling from the sky are, either.

anIceFan
2007-12-20, 11:49 AM
Nalik

peeking out from under his shield, Nalik can at least see that the rest of the group is trying to be productive. He is not sure what the plan is, but he figures that it is best at this point to go along with someones plan who is not incapacitated. He rushes over to grab the rope with the others, just in time to see the knot come untied.

As he moves he is able to avoid any more direct blasts.



[roll0]

whew, not that he can be deafened again.
D' is there a duration on the deafness?

lawful_evil
2007-12-20, 01:07 PM
Carter

"Ah! Ah? I guess I can't hold the rope. Come on lets get out of here."


Resist the sonic acorns of Death. (1d20+6=19) (http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=1437611)


It is not fear to run from a superior foe. It is wisdom

Carter takes off running to the right. {Move 80'}

Annalia
2007-12-20, 01:54 PM
Hertz

There was no avoiding the next blast for Hertz, and the explosion affected him so much he stumbled forward and dropped the javelin. Cursing, he hurried and picked it back up.

Fort Save: 1d20+3=4. (http://roll.coyotecode.net/lookup.php?rollid=3752) We all knew that was going to happen. :smalltongue:

oliana0
2007-12-20, 02:00 PM
Oliana

"Oooof. Ow." Oliana mumbles a bit and the sound blasts again.

Oliana grimaces as the world becomes mute around her. She reaches for her wand and draws it aiming towards the tree that hit her. Two missles fly from the tip.


[roll0]

Aiiihh! She's deaf! Luckily using a wand needs no words.

Holocron Coder
2007-12-20, 02:41 PM
Deladus

Walking over to Nalik, Deladus claps him on the shoulder and attempts to make some sort of gesture asking what to do.


[roll0]

WarBrute
2007-12-20, 05:34 PM
Sarrok Balderk

The gnome contiues to stand against the sonic blast. Seeing Carter dash off in a random Sarrok yells "Cater you fool were are you going!" With out hesistation Sarrok sprints after the human through the trees, still gripping the rope unless some one resisit he action. (He will drop the rope if any one holding it tries to stop him)

Fort save 1d20+4=23 (http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=1438132)

oliana0
2007-12-20, 06:21 PM
Oliana

For those that can still hear, Oliana calls out rather loudly in confused disbelief, "My rope!"

dauphinous
2007-12-21, 12:59 PM
As Sarrok sprints after Carter, it seems that Carter disappears downwards, as if he fell to the ground amidst some undergrowth. Once Sarrok comes upon the exact location that he thinks Carter fell, though, there is no apparent trace of him.

The onslaught of falling things suddenly stops, leaving the forest silent and still aside from the team's noises and movements.

WarBrute
2007-12-21, 02:09 PM
Sarrok Balderk

"Carter! Carter!? The gnome drops to he knees searching through the undergrowth for some kind of a trap door or trip wire. His hands work furiously tearing up weeds and grass as he works.

Search check 1d20+14=17 (http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=1439711)

Velvet Elvis
2007-12-21, 04:28 PM
Sinssuret

With frantic reasoning proving useless, and inobvious but definitely felt internal injuries suffered from the concussions, Sin mostly floats along in tandem with the flow of the rest of the group. Hertz' offer of a stick to bite on was entirely missed as Sin's eyes remained mostly shut. Had he noticed, he probably wouldn't have done as suggested anyway--sticks are all but flavorless and their crunch is either lacking in nuance or entirely over the top. He gave up stick-biting a long time ago.

Then the barrage stopped, forcing relative silence by its absence.

With a rumbling groan, Sin acknowledges the wracking pain within his small form. Despite his thick skin and coloration, obvious signs of bruising are appearing in a few places, and the grimace he bears is definitely more strained than usual.

OOC10 5 Ouchies!

anIceFan
2007-12-24, 12:15 PM
Nalik

With everything happening at once, Nalik is finding it difficult to keep track of events and deal with his new deafness. He is just able to notice Sarrok rushing off out of the corner of his eye, as Deladus demands his attention. He stares at the fighting man blankly for a moment before realizing that he is asking for instructions. He responds with his first thought GATHER EVERYONE TOGETHER. just as the barrage stops. CAN ANYONE SEE WHAT WAS ATTACKING US? He will look up to see if he can see anything in the trees.


[roll0]
[roll1]

dauphinous
2007-12-24, 07:49 PM
Looking up, there are branches, leaves, pine needles...trees, trees, and more trees. Nothing is obviously out of place. A few squirrels and other small animals can be seen, though none of them seem to be moving about.

Deladus, Oliana, Sinssuret, Ziran, and Hertz form up around Nalik. The deafness seems to fade away for those who were afflicted, as evidenced by hearing the light crunching and snapping of the footfalls of the group.

Velvet Elvis
2007-12-25, 02:44 AM
Sinssuret

Sin contributes the glances of a few eyestalks to the canopy overhead, while continuing to grumble slightly through a grimace. A few moments of observation later, he says, "Something is odd. Why are the animals still? It is almost like a portrait by Gnilres Dor, a very famous artist of my age. He could paint amazing panoramas in absolute miniscule detail, with depth and shifting patterns of shadow and light. It was quite amazing. This seems eerily simlar to me, as if this is a creation rather than a living forest."

He stopped with a pointed groan.

OOCHey, dwarfy! Throw a spot over here and see if you notice my ouchies! :)

anIceFan
2007-12-26, 01:58 PM
Nalik

The cracking of wood never sounded as sweet to Nalik as it did in those first few moments as his hearing returned. As he scans his gathered troops, he notices that Carter, Sarrok, and Hengist are missing. Although he is not surprised that the mountainous Norseman has gone AWOL he is a little annoyed that the 3 are not amongst the gathered.
Where are Carter, Sarrok and Hengist.


The aquscum 2000 will scan the group every 5 minutes to see how healthy everyone is.

Annalia
2007-12-26, 05:55 PM
Hertz

"I'm... not sure." Hertz stated, panting. Though he was not badly hurt by the sound bursts, his body was unable to work and heal them by itself. The blood was weak, and what had been drained by the zombies had not been entirely replaced. He made no mention of it, though, and after catching his breath he added. "They ran off."

Holocron Coder
2007-12-28, 03:02 AM
Deladys

"In the chaos, I did not see where they went..." the warrior notes. Grimly, he turns to Sin and comments, "You have a good range of vision... see where they went?"

raspberrybadger
2007-12-29, 05:53 AM
Ziran Blueboots

Ziran reports with a touch of panic in his voice, but mostly under control:

"There is a spellcaster out there causing trouble, but I don't know where or what. Most of this isn't magic, if that helps."

OOC: with the amount of magical stuff our party carries, are the missing people within 60' and not blocked by lead or whatnot so that they show up on detect magic?

anIceFan
2007-12-29, 01:28 PM
Nalik

Nalik will scoot next to Oliana and whispers, can you set fire to one of these trees, if we need it?

In his mind, they need to make contact with whatever beings are in control of the wood to get anywhere, so he makes one more attempt at contact. Hello, is there anyone there? We come in peace.

As he speaks, he notices that the rope is pulled out, he assumes that is the direction that one of the wayward sheep has gone. If there is no response to his call, he tells the group.
Lets stick together. Follow that rope.

^ never mind

dauphinous
2007-12-29, 05:06 PM
A single bird chirps in response to Nalik, but nothing else. There is no sign of the rope from where the group is now standing.

oliana0
2007-12-29, 10:22 PM
Oliana

"Hey, if the tree ate my new rope, I can do a lot more."


Did the Magic Missle wand do any damage to the tree (new wand).

Annalia
2008-01-01, 01:18 AM
Hertz

"Nalik... We need to go." Hertz didn't sound happy about it, but he continued firmly on. "We cannot know where Carter, Sarrock and Hengist went. Staying here will avail us nothing. Let's simply pick a direction and follow it. Perhaps we will find more clues than by standing still."

Velvet Elvis
2008-01-02, 04:56 PM
Sinssuret

The eyestalks that had been gazing upward, shoot to regard Deladus' face as he makes his suggestion.

"I suspect my range of vision is no better than yours, but yes, my eyes are undoubtedly sharper and more discerning," he says blandly as he commits all stalks to a quick perusal of the entire field of view.

As he peers about, he comments indirectly on Hertz' words, "Certainly--assuming I see nothing of interest. I don't wish to abandon the missing men so easily. This won't take long, in any case." One might wonder if his concern included Hengist. Or Carter. Sin did, however, like gnomes, though he had a rather peculiar sensation when looking at them. They seemed to cause him to salivate for no discernible reason. Odd.

Having made some kind of decision, he points all eyes in one direction for a few moments, obviously scanning intently, before shifting angle and working his way counterclockwise. With the forest appearing, at least superficially, much the same to all sides, he had no better idea of directions at this point.

OOCHere's four active spot check rolls, one for each "general" cardinal direction (i.e., I'll scan in a 45o arc each time to eventually cover the whole area in four scans).

Spot #1 - [roll0]
Spot #2 - [roll1]
Spot #3 - [roll2]
Spot #4 - [roll3]

dauphinous
2008-01-02, 07:22 PM
As Sinsurret looks around critically, there is a rather sudden, oppressive sense of being watched. Just as he notices something, or seems to think he does, there are six *thpt* sounds. Everyone takes an arrow - Nalik in the leg, Ziran in the arm, Oliana in the chest, Hertz in the back, Sinsurret in the side, and Deladus in the foot. Interestingly, the arrows are small, as opposed to medium sized.

Damage:
Deladus: 2
Hertz: 5
Nalik: 1
Oliana: 6
Sinsurret: 5
Ziran: 5

anIceFan
2008-01-03, 04:22 PM
Nalik

Nalik is lucky that his armor deflected most of the damage from the needle like arrow that struck him. Seeing that others in the party are not faring as well, he draws upon the might of Thor to provide healing for them.

Why are you attacking us, we have done nothing to you. We mean you no harm.
to Oliana, quietly
Be ready.


Performing sacred purification as a swift action.
restoring [roll0] to all living creatures within 60'

Nalik should already be in front of Oliana, so no move should be required.
If He still has an action, he will cast shield of faith.

This is his last attempt at a peaceful solution before he starts letting Oliana play with fire.

oliana0
2008-01-04, 11:03 AM
Oliana

Oliana looks down at the arrow in her chest and frowns. "Well, that wasn't very nice." Hearing Nalik's words, she shrugs and preps herself for some spell casting.


Ready Burning Hands to attack either whatever attacked her if it appears, or whatever Nalik points to and says attack, provided it's in range.

Velvet Elvis
2008-01-04, 05:27 PM
Sinssuret

Sinsurret appeared to be staring longer and more intently at a particular tree. He didn't approach it, but his eyes were narrowed before jerking back slightly and widening in something akin to surprise.

He mouthed more than uttered, "How odd..." which was immediately cut short by a loud, rumbling yelp as the tiny, but still quite sharp, arrow embedded itself in his flank.

Nalik's quick healing was soothing, but he was still aching from the pain of the sonic attacks and now bleeding slightly from the not quite closed piercing wound.

Sin thought to send the invisible attackers a veiled threat under the guise of a snappy remark, but knew it wasn't going to do much more than initiate a second volley. Instead, he took the opportunity for something else.

He refocused his eyes upon the tree he'd been scrutinizing before being so rudely, and painfully, interrupted. A moment later he said to the tree, "Unless I am hallucinating as result of my injuries, you are a special tree...? A mighty oak with a mind of your own, am I right? Please help us escape the imps that harass us before we are forced to desperate measures!"

For the moment, he didn't worry about the peculiar scene he was creating. Then again, the sight of a floating head talking to a tree might actually be commonplace...somewhere.

dauphinous
2008-01-06, 09:02 PM
Giggling and laughter sound all around now, and it is clearly several voices, both male and female. Although the effect makes it seem like the voices are everywhere, everyone can tell that there is one direction, about a 45 degree arc, that there are no voices coming from.

There is an unfamiliar female singsong voice that rings out above it all.

The trees! The trees!
Oh, the lovely trees.
They have no breeze,
But still they wave and still they see!

Six more *thpt* sounds announce the arrival of six more arrows. This time, everyone is ready for them, but that doesn't seem to affect their aim very much.

Nalik and Deladus are missed, both of the arrows aiming for them hitting armor.
Damage:
Hertz: 6
Oliana: 4
Sinsurret: 2
Ziran: 6

Sinsurret:The face in the tree is one of those that are laughing.

Holocron Coder
2008-01-07, 07:09 AM
Deladus

Plucking the first arrow from his foot, Deladus glares at the voices before motioning to the gap in the voices. "Perhaps we should retreat a ways before these... darts become a nuisance?"

Velvet Elvis
2008-01-07, 11:28 PM
Sinssuret

Sin winces again as the tiny arrow embeds itself in his hide, grumbling in growing anger.

"This is pointless! These imps are not mischievous, they're entirely evil!" he says with a sneer. "Nalik, with all due respect, I suggest we either attempt to leave quietly, and quickly, and consider the missing men lost, or set this damn forest aflame and see how happy these obnoxious little imps and their grinning treehouses are while they char."

He casts several individual gazes to the tree he'd requested help from, and adds with a grumbling snarl, "And start with that one."

Sin's usual calm and reasonable demeanor has all but vanished by now, and as if in response, a faint blue aura suddenly springs into being around him, like a thin cloudless atmosphere clinging to a tiny heavenly body.

oliana0
2008-01-08, 11:34 AM
Oliana

"Fine!"

Oliana turns to her pile of dead leaves and twigs that she previously gathered and pulls out a tindertwig. She strikes the twig with the flick of her thumb and sets the leaves on fire.

anIceFan
2008-01-08, 12:44 PM
Nalik

Making sure that he and his shield are between Oliana and the direction the "arrows" are coming from. I hope you have had your fun, but it is over now. Tell us where our companions are, and how to get out of this forest, or you and it will all burn!

He points to where the apparent gap is in the voices and says to the team. Lets move that way.

dauphinous
2008-01-11, 07:42 PM
The laughter is replaced by ear-piercing shrieking almost immediately when the fire starts. A new hail of objects, this time sharp needles, begins from above. It is impossible to avoid them completely, even as the team starts to move, though armor does seem to provide some protection.

Damn. Game slipped right down to the bottom of my list and off my radar. Sorry, guys.
Everyone takes one point of damage and needs to make the indicated number of Fort saves vs. poison
Deladus 1
Hertz 2
Nalik 1
Oliana 2
Sinsurret 0
Ziran 2

anIceFan
2008-01-11, 08:05 PM
Nalik

Ow! Run for it!

Nalik was not his eloquent self as puts action to his words and leads the group towards the apparent gap in the laughter.


[roll0]