[3.5E] Heretic's Bane Icewind Dale

[mshady]

"I have my own thoughts, but how do ye want to use the minotaurs and the mercenaries, Thordek? I don't think we can count on them for your little teams, surely. At most split up under what passes for their officers, which is prolly how they fight anyways. Makes me wonder if they can fight as a whole as it is. Someone should probably uh... ask and see how much they lie to us" Buna says, voicing her own prejudices openly. The robed Godsmen mutters his agreement.

Yennifer turns to the Godsmen and thinks for a moment before asking a question.

"So... how many of those in there are actually alive?" she asks.

The Godsmen shrugs in reply.

"I did not count take a tally of who chased me out of that section of our Crucible. Enough to push us all back out, but both sides were exhausted and they had the advantage of being in their own stronghold. Suffice it to say, enough"

He turns to face Thordek again and looks him over skeptically.

"Your a kind of mage too?" he asks. "Who isn't" he sniffs after a moment of consideration. "We're a foundry. We sell what we make and we don't make such things without buyers. Most are things for common folks. We do have a few things though, I suppose. I'll... see what wands we can gather. We used much of what he had on hand before. Unless you want to go out and buy more, but I doubt we have that kind of time"

"A thought" Yennifer says. "For a battle that size a day ago, and they are all locked in there... why doesn't it, well... smell?"

[mshady]

Carmard returns to the conversation, a bit less annoyed than he was before he left. The discussion between the two was in quiet tones and Carmard mainly looked pensive.

He looks down at the table and sees much discussion but nothing new written down and folds his hands behind him. Seeing nothing has really been done he frowns slightly.

"Would someone go get Hextros for me?" he asks calmly.

[Gorgondantess]

Johannes narrows his eyes at Carmard, pensive. "I get the feeling that your cards aren't all on the table, here. But I won't interrupt your bobbing, for now."
He sits pensive as Wyatt and the others speak of planning, giving no input himself, for now. Taking off his spectacles, putting them back on, and using other nervous exercises, he thinks throughout the chat.
Using Carmard's request as both a way to extricate himself, and to buy some time, he wakes up from his reverie, and volunteers. "I'll go collect the ugly lubber." And he does so, though using better placed words when within earshot of said ugly lubber.

[Katasi]

Arum thinks for a few minutes. "If it would help," he says. I could summon up a bunch of creatures to provide us some extra forces, distractions mostly, and then me and baurus could charge through blasting spells and such. That would cut down on a lot of the opponents. I've got a blast globe as well, and a few other tricks." He grins as he says the word "tricks".

[Strangie]

Wyatt is peering over the map, looking for a suitable point of entry for his scouting mission and tracing his finger over the map through routes and paths to see how he can scout areas in the most efficient way possible. He pauses for a moment and glances over at Carmard, still standing in his chair to be able to see everything else. "'ello, commander. Yennifer says nobody's got much of a clue what 'dey've got set up on the inside, so I'm tryin' to figure out what's the best method for goin' about some scoutin' duties."

He turns back to the map. "If anybody's got any input on the matter, it'd be appreciated. But one way or another, I think I know where my duty lies in 'dis case... once I know how we're gettin' in, where we're goin', and how we're gettin' out, all 'dere is left to do is to do it, eh?"

[mshady]

"You have Blast Globes?" the Godsmen asks emphatically. He rubs his hands together in excitement. "I'm ahead of myself. I'm Theo. They all know but you just arrived"
The Godsmen pulls back his blue hood back to reveal a thin face with a pointed beard and a long scar across his cheek.

"They be quite um.. powerful. More than a fireball. Knock down an entire group and one string can do quite much. Very good to have. Much better than we have to give you. Well placed, the effect could be.. significant"

Theo laughs at the thought and rubs his hands together.

"Oh, my wayward brethern... the fires we'll unleash. Cheating on your path is a very... large sin to those of us who walked it truly"

With a gleam in his eye, Theo looks at Arum with a delighted smile.

"I'd offer you Ascension itself if you had a second set of them for me"

Yennifer and Buna share a look between each other before Yennifer raps the table with her knuckles.

"You do realize they're still your people? That they've been.. deluded by a meglomanic? Are the sheep to blame for following the wrong shepherd?"

She looks at him wide eyes and sighs in exasperation.

"Everyone at this table is trying to find the best way to kill everyone on the other side of the door! Why don't we try and save some of them?"

"Why would we?" Theo asks her. "The path of Ascension is to climb the stairs. From the floor of the factory to the workshops, the craft rooms, the secret chambers and beyond. They're all rabble. Rabble trying to get to the top without following the path. I worked too hard to get where I am. We all did here. Too hard to let others cheat their way ahead of us or even... near us" he seethes.

"So they die? They die and the dwarves take this crazed artifact made by whatever crazed mage or priest or God commited such folly to be destroyed. We just open the door to new rabble. They'll be replaced in a tenday's time. To work to death, promotion or move on to a softer occupation" Theo says.

"The dwarves and their mercenaries are happy to kill them. Happy to take that thing. We're happy to let them. They'll just kill each other soon enough to sort out where they would stand on the Stairway" Theo says and shrugs.

Yennifer stares at Theo with a shocked look on her face.

"You... you cannot be serious!" she asks Theo, who simply smiles and nods to her. She turns to Carmard with a wide eyed look of incomprehension.

"You'd allow this?" she asks, than looks to Johannes. "They'd allow that?" Yennifer asks.

No one says anything for a moment (unless Joannes wants to jump in here)

"Yes" Carmard says. "If there is no other way, than yes. Consequences are too much if that things leaves. It cannae be allowed" he says, than pauses. "They chose their mold, they can be poured in it" he says sternly.

"So you won't even try?!" she snaps at Carmard.

"Hey!" Buna yells at her. "Did he sound like he LIKED the idea?" Buna snarls at her and moves to stand next to Carmard. "Why don't you go get dressed and come up with a better idea? Or do the Sensates really let you whore around about town in an outfit like that?"

"You little... toadstool!" Yennifer yells back at Buna. They both seem ready to leap at each other.

Having just arrived after Johannes invited him to join them at the planning table, but requiring a few minutes before leaving (thus allowing Johannes' presence at the table after excusing himself), Hextros laughs at the sight.

"Oh, did I pick a fine time to arrive!" he exclaims in delight.

[Strangie]

Wyatt frowns, and shakes his head, putting both hands on a clean spot of the table and staring down at it while they argue. When Hextros comes in, he glances up.

"Yeah. Fine time indeed."

He taps the table for a moment, glancing around for something. "Hey, do you all wanna save 'da arguin' for maybe, y'know, after we figure out what's going on in 'dere? While we're arguin', 'dey're doin' 'deir stupid circle magic or whatever it's called and we ain't gettin' anything accomplished. I'm tryin' to focus on 'dis here. I need some parchment or something and somethin' to write with so I can take notes."

He stares down at the map again. "And 'den once I got a plan of action I want to know when me and the rest of the scouting party go do our thing. Aye..." He rubs his face, shaking his head. When he receives what he asked for, he continues his study of the map and takes notes about things like the point of entry, an efficient path, and an exit strategy.

He grumbles to himself in the meantime. "'s like talkin' to a brick wall, it is, I swear..."

[Melody]

Sable walks in to stand slightly behind Carmard using her height to see over his shoulder without standing too closely. She seems content to just listen though as Buna makes mention of Yennifer's outfit she coughs quietly to cover an ill advised laughing fit.

After Hextros speaks she waits until he catches her eye. Then speaks in an almost inaudible whisper knowing how good the fiend's hearing is, "Carmard wishes to speak with you."

Speaking normally she addresses the table.
"I had a thought about the blast globes. If I were to use a simple magic hand to hold one of them as high off of the ground over a target as I can, when the spell's duration was over it would drop where we wanted it to. I could set four of them without breaking an invisibility spell."

[Gorgondantess]

Johannes arrives with Hextros in time to hear the argument. He almost groans.
"Allow it? If Carmard wants to create a bloodbath, I'm not in power to stop him. If it is the only way... perhaps it is for the best. If I am not mistaken in my assumption- and, please, correct me if I am- they likely won't be very open to diplomacy, seeing as they've been deluded by this... thing. In my experiences, when it comes to religion and philosophy, a well put together argument works about as well as a rat chewing against steel wool. Difficult, painful and futile.
Of course, whoever said that a frontal assault was the only option? I'm of the opinion that we take Wyatt's suggestion, and reverse it. A large group would be ineffective for the immediate task- specifically, stopping the mages from bringing back the stoneburner. So, rather than having a small group create a distraction, and a large group secure our objective... why not stage a mock battle? Keep the enemy's eye fixed at their gates- make them think we will be storming the front- while a select few head inside and stop the mages, remove their leaders. There'll be violence, and killing, for sure, but I believe we can keep it to a minimum.
Of course, Wyatt is right in another respect- right now we can't do anything without more information. I believe some reconnaissance is in order before we commit to any strict plan of action."

[mshady]

"Alright" Carmard finally says. "Lets scout the inside out a bit. Who wants to go?"

[Strangie]

"'s not a matter of wantin' to, Commander. It's havin' to. You can count on me."

[Melody]

Sable nods after Wyatt speaks.

Do we have any way to keep in contact with everyone in case we can't get back out again?

[Gorgondantess]

Johannes thinks for a moment. "I believe I could prove able, in that respect- and to make sure the job gets done right." He shares a smirk with Yennifer.
Turning to the Godsmen, "Do you have a decent repertoire of scrolls, or wands? I have a specific spell in mind."

[thorgrim29]

Fact is, we don't have the luxury to stop and ask every enemy if he'd like to switch sides again before the battle starts.... Even less once it starts. In a battle, first priority is to win, or at least deny the enemy a meaningful victory. Second priority is to do it with minimal looses. Making sure no enemy killed was salvageable is very low on the priority list, no matter how much we'd like for it to be possible....

[mshady]

"Of course we have a repetoire" he says indignantly and stiffens. "This is not a wizard's enclave, but a factory however. Even if it seems like mages run the Great Foundry, it is merely a reflection of our station and education. Most of us are concerned with crafting, but of the kind to add a touch of magic to the mundane. The committment is quite... taxing to us. What spells do you require?"

Theo scratches his nose and looks at Johannes with a touch of both annoyance and curiosity.

[mshady]

"No practical ways" Carmard says with a sour look. "Even if ye had a Scroll of Sending, sitting 'bout for enough sand to pass for your to finish the spell would be useless. If ye had to use it, you're in trouble and be moving fast. Even if ye did get word back to us, I'm not knocking down the door to come get ye" Frowning after saying that, than shrugging at the reality. "This be an inherent danger with scouting, yes?"

Carmard pauses and looks down at the map laid out over the table and beckons Sable, Wyatt and Johannes to look at it. Hextros invites himself, but listens quietly.

"We're here" he says and points to a large, open area labelled as storage. "Next to us be a short corridor leading to the Western Foundry, where our enemies are. Part o'the problem be that we have to push up 100 feet of a passageway only wide enough for 20 dwarves or so? After that, we have a timber and iron gate 20 feet high. It had turrets and probably an armed guard.

That was battered heavily when the Godsmen assaulted it. Theo?" Carmard says and turns to the Godsmen.

"Yes, you should see about a hundred bodies in that tunnel. We tried to take it back at first, but there was a mage up there with fireballs and gas spells. It took.. quite a toll. The crossbowmen and ballistas did not help matters..." Theo says, a touch of bitterness in his words.

"So you Godsmen just charged a gatehouse? Brilliant strategy! Going to scale the turrets by stacking the bodies of your soldiers?" Hextros sneers at the Godsmen. "I've seen such done in the Blood Wars, truth be told, but even I have stadards. I use my enemies for that!" Hextros boasts. Theo and Carmard give the big mercenary a silencing look and continue.

"Your war dog's views aside, it was a.. blunder on our part. We were not expecting so many to flock to the Artifact's side, or for one of our Demios and his apprentices to switch sides. We next send golems to batter down the gates, but the Artifact itself was on the wall" Theo says and shakes involuntarily at the memory.

"There may be truth of its divine power..." Theo says after a moment. "It turned the floor into a pit of molten magma and our golems sank into it. The rest? It tore golems limb from limb and battered us with the parts from the other end of the corridor. It killed a Demios, crushed another one and killed half a dozen apprentices trying to control the golems. It than conjured magic fire and the whole of the corridor was aflame. As we ran for our lives, we heard... laughter. The thing was laughing at us!" Theo says and quakes in anger and his face goes red. It takes him a moment to collect himself again.

"That was when our Factol deigned to join us. With His most magnificent presence, he rallied the survivors and we joined his troops, his cadre of Demios and our remaining golems. He commanded two Spheres of Annialation and threw them at the gates. They bowled through the gate in a moment and before the Artifact could return the the gates, we blasted the turrets to ruins. The real battle was joined after that. You know the result of that... At least we Imprisoned it.."

"So the answer was yes there, aye?" Buna asks, irritated at the long answer for the simple question. Carmard says nothing and addresses the group again.

"His point is the gatehouse has been ruined and the way is open into the main chamber. The gatehouse has been ruined as well. The whole length of the corridor was slagged by Barauk. There is all kinds of wreckage, the dead and broken golems. Perfect cover for a small group to approach, quietly" he says and smile slightly.

"In the ruins of the gatehouse, you have access to gangways that overlook the Western Foundry itself. The plans say there are drainways in the area you could crawl though and find a few vantage points as well from below. Metalworking takes a fair amount of water too. I'd expect that water to be quite foul, but the Godsmen at least turned off the flow of water.

"For now, I'd recommend trying to get into the gatehouse and at least look down from the start of the gangways. It would be hard to walk quietly on the metal grating up top and I expect much of it was damaged, so I would not venture too far. The problem would be any guards up there. They would... not need to be there. Kill them, bribe them away or talk with them, but they'll need to be gone. After their own losses, I doubt more than a few to warn the main force of a coming assault. With the gates down, it has far less defensive worth.

"However, I doubt they want us to have it either. So I would expect traps. Trip wires and rune traps really. Not much time for the more elaborate. If we can get that cleared, we could use the gatehouse for our own assault. Seems a fine place for some crossbowmen or mages. You'd eventually alert them when someone tried to speak to the guards. Not that they will not expect something to be tried."

"You could try the pipes though. I doubt that approach is guarded at all. You'll see far less though, I suspect and be cold, miserble and stink of ore. Oh, and the water is at best.. very unhealthy"

[Gorgondantess]

Joh raises an eyebrow. "Actually, I was thinking of the spell whispering wind. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/whisperingWind.htm) It's of a much more limited range, but takes as long as any other spell to cast. I am sure the Foundry has its fair share of drafts, is that true, Theo?"
"Anyways, some disguises would be appreciated. Their numbers should be large enough that they wouldn't notice a few extra guards, no?"

[Strangie]

"Hmm... don't sound too complicated... so, basically, we really gotta just get through the gatehouse, clear it of traps, and try to get to our vantage point on the gangways. Leave me to the traphandlin', if 'dey couldn't come up with anything good I won't have any problems breakin' everything 'dey have set up. And findin' it too, heh. This'll be fun..." Wyatt says, pulling out the loop of tools he uses for trap-busting purposes. He whirls it around on his finger, deftly flipping through the different tools with his fingers. With his eyes closed. They appear to be expertly made, even magical, for those who can tell. "'dis one's good for tripwires. Oh, and I like to use 'dis one for handlin' rune traps, too. 'dis one is just good for all-purpose breakin' crap. Awright, so anyway..." He puts his kit away, opening his eyes again.

"As for the guards, I'll leave 'dat part for Sable and Joh to figure out. What's everybody else's opinion on tryin' to use the drainways? I'm used to bein' cold and miserable and smelling strangely and I suppose if the water is really 'dat bad we could use some disease resistance or somethin', I guess."

[thorgrim29]

The problem's not disease as much as poison with forge water. Any liquid used to quench white hot metal is very dangerous to drink.


((I'm leaving for a family vacation tomorrow, and I've got no idea what my internet connection will be like, so don't worry if I'm a no-show till friday))

[Melody]

Well we might as well get started with the scouting. I'd like to take that scroll if we have it to hand. Easiest to do this with just myself and Wyatt going in. We'll kill or avoid the guards, get your information and come back to you. I had hoped we might move a small group in to begin with, but hearing how the area is set up it's too likely we'd get noticed.

We'll be taking the gatehouse and not the pipes. Two of the three dangerous metals that I know of need to be ingested, and one can be absorbed through the skin. You know, it was the fashion for a time that prostitutes ingest a little bit of lead to keep their skin clear and pale.

They stopped when they started dying. Lead thins out the blood, a little bit and you're pale, too much and you're bleeding from your ears. It takes too long to kill a person so I never found it useful, but I'd rather not go swimming in it. Mercury and arsenic are worse than lead.

Horse sharpers sometimes use arsenic to make their horses look nice and fat. Of course the horse dies soon after you buy it. That's why you check the horse's mouth. If the horse is fat and shiny with pale or yellow gums, he's been fed arsenic to make him look good before he dies. Works the same on people in small doses, builds up in the fatty tissues.

Sable looks at everyone and smiles at the shocked expression on Yennifer's face.

Or so I've heard anyway.

She walks over and stands next to Wyatt.

Are you ready to go half? No time like the present and all of that.

[Strangie]

"Hah! Of course I'm ready. Unless anybody's got anything to add, I say let's do 'dis." Wyatt replies, nodding. "Let's move out."

[mshady]

OOC: I'll be available tonight after 7 PM to run the scouting mission via MSN.

PS - Don't drink the water

[Gorgondantess]

Joh smirks at Sable, speaking half-seriously. "What, don't want me along? You wound me, Sable. And here I thought we'd make a fine team.
Though, I assure you, Yennifer is quite familiar with the intricacies of various poisons. Likely moreso than you, I wouldn't hesitate to say."

[shaddy_24]

Magnum

The battle priest watches the planning for the battle with vague interest. He didn't have much to add, but knowing what they would be walking into was something he could appreciate. When the others head off on their scouting mission, he walks over to see them off. "Good luck to ya on your little walk about. Need any spells before you head out? I might have a few to spare, and gettin' info will help quite a bit."

[Melody]

Sable raises an eyebrow at Johannes and his smirk.

Of course I want you along Joh. I'll just clear some trash out of your way before you come.

As far as Yennifer knowing more about poisons than I do, I'm sure you're right. I just thought the stories might be interesting, to those who don't know a lot about metal poisoning. After all, using poison to make something look better is something people have been doing for centuries, and hardly uncommon knowledge.

Though how Yennifer came up in a discussion about poisons is beyond me. She's very pretty, it's true, but I hope you're not insinuating that she causes cramps, diarrhea, and organ failure.

[Melody]

Thank you for the offer Magnum. I believe we'll be alright for now.

The last was said as almost a question as she looks over at Wyatt to see if he was in need of anything.

[Strangie]

"Ehh... maybe something to avoid the effects of traps better, just in case, if you got it, but other 'dan 'dat, I think we'll manage. You better save your spells for the big battle, you're gonna need 'em." Wyatt shrugs.

[Tharar_Greenleaf]

Kelith

Kelith listens through all the discussion as they debate for the better method of assault. Not being too keen on tactics or warfare he silently sits in the back until they are done.

As Sable and Wyatt prepare to leave he will head over and take a look at Wyatt. If he still looks poisoned from the battles before he'll take out his scroll of lesser restoration and cast it on him.

"I did promise to help cure you of that poison, hopefully you're feeling much better now. Also, the best of luck to both of you and may you come back unharmed."

[ArmanMadero]

Dang it.. missed the MSN thing... :( I was out bowling.... one of my few nights out. lol... so.. now i'm not sure whats all been done... :/

Arman searches out and is finally able to talk with Carmard. "You said you wanted to see me about some possible scrying?"

"Just let me know whats going on I guess. My appologies. You heard my stuff in RPOL Mike.... lol... I'm getting there...

[mshady]

With Sable and Wyatt gone, Carmard addresses the others now. He starts with Thordek, belatedly replying to some of this questions.

"What we have be a powerful force" he says and gestures to the soldiers behind him with a prideful smile. He returns to Thordek and looks at a scroll he had been writing on before speaking.

"We have 80 actual Forgemark Legionniares, who be armed with magicked armor and urghosh, along with light crossbow and pistols.

"There also be 40 soldiers from the Iron Order. They have platemail and either shield and axe or polearms, and with'em they're near as fierce as the Patriarch's Own.

"They came with 20 arbalesters. If you seen'em before, they fight behind a big shield for cover and shoot heavy repeating arbalests.

"The levy of warriors at Barakbar got 60 from the trades and such, but most remain to garrision Barakbar itself. They're 'bout all that's left. They've got pikes and shields and an axe or sword.

"The Knights of Moradin are here as well. Hjalmar'd fit right in with them. They're on them plate armored dire boars. Only a dozen of'em, but if ye wanted to punch a hole in a line that's what'll do it. Ye ever see'em with the sleds, lad? They brought a few of'em as well. Drag'em right along behind and can haul a few on a bumpy ride. Really hold a wedge that way...

As you know, there be two dozen of your Levtokuld brethern. So, 24 Levtokuld, not including yerself. As ye also know, they represent a significant number of all the trained Levtokuld in the Patriarchate and absolutely all in Barakbar.

We have six Arcanii here now, not including meself and Buna. We brought 7 of the Patriarchate's priests as well. I'd advise keeping one with each group.

There be 16 minotaurs, including Kerik and Gore.

Most o'the artillery was taken, but we have 4 ballistas and the engineers for'em.

There also be 10 dwarves armed with them fancy new "dragon tongues" or "troll burners" they call'em. They lug a bucket o'special oil on their backs and use hand pumps and a light to spray fire on a foe. They're... impressive.

More impressive is, since no one trusts a fancy new thing, we have a cannon that works like the dragon tongues, only bigger.

Of course, ye also have Nutz and Boltz as we call'em. Two Iron Golems. If the Arcanii be doing circle magic or with the troops, it'll be hard to control them. Someone with arcane magic could control a golem, but Arman and Arum could command'em for us as well.

[thorgrim29]

Impressive force to be sure. What about the Company and the Godsmen?

[Melody]

As Wyatt and Sable left:

Yennifer smiles as Johannes defends her capability as a poisoner. Standing almost a full foot over Johannes, she pats him on his head.

"Yes sweetie, I do know a thing or two about such things as well. Maybe after this is all over, Ms. Sable and I can compare recipes for our favorite cocktails?"

Theo coughs politely at the implicated topic and nods to the group.

Sable smiles and asks, "Do you know how to make a Waterdavian Twist? I always found them to be delicious, but I could never figure out the flavors."

"Hmm" Yennifer says and places a finger to her lips. "I can't say that I do. They say the best do not have flavors at all...
...I say the best have flavors you enjoy. To the last drop. "If you're referring to a drink you serve friends though, you really must teach me that one."

Sable chuckles at Yennifer’s response. "I believe it is some sort of Elvish wine served with a fruit juice. It is very light going down but it packs a punch."

"Ah" replies Yennifer as her eyes twinkle. "I like the sweet and unexpected. None do wine as well as the elves, but there vineyards must be closely held secrets as I have yet to behold one"

Sable’s expression is thoughtful as she considers Yennifer’s words. "Perhaps we should ask Arman sometime."

"The handsome elf with the pretty fingers? Oh, I think I'd ask him for a massage first" she beams.

Wyatt knows nothing of this sort and just tunes out the conversation until something relevant that he knows something about comes up, glancing at random things he doesn't recognize until he is addressed or it is time to go.

Seeing Wyatt’s bored expression Sable turns to him and asks, "Are you ready to go Wyatt?"

"Yes well, did you decide on a path?" Theo asks.

"I believe we'll be going to the guardhouse, not via the pipes."Is Sable's quick reply.

Wyatt frowns and rolls his eyes at Yennifer's comment for a moment, before nodding to Sable's question. "Yeah, I've been waitin' around here for like five minutes. Well, we definitely ain't takin' the pipes."

Yennifer says, "Well, the pipes have a few things to recommend them. You could get much farther into the complex and they're unlikely to be trapped. Yes, the water is hideous but such a short exposure should have little effect."

Sable nods in understanding, "I feel confident we can deal with the traps, it has good cover, and I want to get the best view possible."

Yennifer seemed to be following the same line of thinking as she speaks almost before Sable is done. "Of course.. your perspective would be quite... limited"

Sable nods again.

Wyatt makes a face as Yennifer talks about the effects of the poisonous water. "Little effect, you say. I like no effect, thank you. I ain't goin' in pipes with some nasty disgusting metal poison water. We'll take the gatehouse and deal with the traps."

Sable keeps nodding as she agrees with Wyatt, "Like I said before Wyatt. Most metals have to be swallowed to hurt you, but the visibility is my major concern. No reason to scout a sewer if you can't see the city."

Wyatt, "I suppose..."

"I heard waterdhavian rogues simply lived in the sewers there. Whole empires down there. These sewers must be particularly... foul. I do hope you are not draining that into the water basins here?" Yennifer turns to Theo and speaks with a firm tone.

Theo looks uncomfortable before speaking, "Um... no. Not anymore. Somone complained" he grumbles.

Sable smiles, "I had heard that the Waterdhavian rogues were actually the masked lords, and ruled Waterdeep from their palatial mansions. Who knows the truth? Certainly I don’t."

Yennifer’s expression is wry, "I do know one truth, and that all politicians are thieves certainly. The differences are merely in breed Oh, but perhaps the Takers make me cynical"

Sable smiles, "I doubt Wyatt would disagree with you there."

Wyatt merely grumbles a bit to prove the point.

"Did one of you mention something about attire?" Theo asks.

Sable looks confused at the sudden change of topic, "Clothes? What about them?"

Theo looks confused, "Oh" he thinks. "Maybe not. Would it help to looks like one of us?"

Wyatt, seemed to catch on to what Theo was saying, "... OH. I think someone mentioned something about disguises."

Sable, "I'd prefer not to be seen personally."

Wyatt, "But yeah, I agree with Sable on 'dat."

Sable nods, "That's an idea for the group if they need it. You might get it together for whoever is going with us after the scouting trip, and speaking of the scouting, point us on our way so we can get going."

Carmard has been following the conversation quietly up until this point. He has been standing next to Yennifer for sometime and looks between Yennifer and Theo and calmly pours the contents of his mug on to the ground.

"Do either of you scouts have a spyglass?" he asks

Wyatt, "... a what? Uh.. .you mean one of those really, fancy expensive looking glass things?"

Sable pulls a spyglass out of her pack.

Wyatt holds his fingers around in a circle around his eye to emphasize his point. Then glances up at Sable. "Oooh... one of 'dem. Uh... I don't. But if Sable's got one I don't think it'll be a problem." He drops his hands to his sides.

Carmard nods at that. "I think that covers things" he says.

Yennifer seems lost in thought for a moment as she looks between the two, weighing something of significance in her mind. "An extraordinary offer for you two" she says.

Sable listens with quiet interest as Yennifer reaches into her black leather bandolier and pulls out a tubular shaped crystal. A soft light glows within it. She holds it with care that is near reverence. "A memory crystal" she says.

Sable looks confused, "Weren't you going to use those on the stoneburner?"

Wyatt raises his eyebrows, obviously unfamiliar with such arcane technology. Everything seems so foreign to him; you'd think he was from another planet.

Yennifer, "What one of you sees, what one of you remembers... can be seen through the eyes of anyone who asks the stone. Yes, this is the one I brought for the Stoneburner. I would entrust it to one of you so you can show your commander and I exactly what you see"

Wyatt, "... now 'DAT is handy."

Sable’s expression is concerned, "When you say what we remember, do you mean anything we randomly think about while holding the crystal or everything we remember? I'm not trying to look a gift horse in the mouth, but there are things I'd rather not share with people I don't know very well."

Yennifer, "This stone has been attuned to remember the most exquisite pain, so anyone else will know the trauma caused by the creation of that artifact. So yes... it will remember even random things"

Wyatt, "... kinda creepy, too. But it could be useful..."

Yennifer,"However... it only records such when you draw it forth and one with an arcane touch activates it"

Wyatt, "Guess 'dat counts me out."

Sable, "And I was just going to ask Wyatt to carry it. Can I be erased from it after I use it?"

Yennifer’s face darkens slightly. "There are many kinds of stones. Some do not require that touch, but as a precaution, this one does. Others can do more. Such as provoke a certain memory and record it. Some are imbued with a kind of sentience for doing such"

Sable, "I'm not trying to insult you Yennifer. I'm just a private person."

Yennifer, "This one is like that, but again.. it can be turned on and erased. Only I can erase it though" she smiles.

Sable looks over at Carmard. "It's up to you Boss."

Carmard shakes his head in response. "Sable, you may follow my orders here but I have no claim on what you do with yer thoughts nor can I compel her to either erase things or verify that she has. That comes only on her word"

Sable, "Very well, I'll bring it with us. If it would be too difficult to explain properly I'll use the crystal. Either way I give it back to you on our return."

Yennifer nods and puts the crystal back into an elegant mithril tube lined with felt. Screw twists the top back on and hands it over with a smile. Sable takes it and places it into her pack with a little more care than she takes with her own gear.

Yennifer, "A consideration though. The Sensates collect unique memories and a daring scouting missing and the revelation of what is going on there, the first to see it... we would pay you well for that memory"

Sable, "How do you activate the crystal?"

Yennifer, "Simply take it in hand and touch the crystal with you hand and reach out for it with your mind. Make it an extension of your mind. Or more simply, project the lightest magic into it"

Sable, "Gotcha"

Yennifer, "Not even a spell, just a flutter, a glow; it will know what to do from there. It is, after all, sentient as well. In a ways"

Buna interjects, "I'd never take such a thing, Sounds more like a parasite! I'd rather remember with a sketching pad and show it to Carmard"
Carmard looks over at Buna as he speaks. "Yes, did I ever tell you what a fine stick figure you draw?" he replies dryly. Buna simply sticks her tongue out at him.

Wyatt, "Hey, don't make fun of stick figures. 'dey get the point across. ‘dat's how I used to have to do it, you know! But anyway. Anythin' else we ought to know before we go?"

Carmard, "I think it’s time for you to leave. Before Buna gets her sketch book. No. Just remember I'm nay sending a force to get you"

Sable nods, "We understand. Point us in the right direction and we'll get going."

Carmard speaks, "I'll watch your progress from the gatehouse on this side though. Just head out and go to the massive door to your right that is barricaded. They will let you through a portucullis."

"Alright 'den. Ain't a better thrill 'dan riskin' your life just to go take a peep at things, eh?" Wyatt rubs his hands together, as if he was looking forward to this. "Let's do 'dis."

Sable smiles and follows Wyatt to the door and then out through the portcullis.

"I prefer risking my life for money, personally" Hextros adds unnecessarily as they leave. He glares at Carmard as the group departs
Sable rolls her eyes at Hextros as she passes. "Patience, he was getting to that." She speaks quietly as she passes, loud enough for Wyatt to hear but not loud enough for the rest of the room to hear.

This is the prelude, the whole thing is rather long and I'll try to get the rest of it posted later tonight.

[mshady]

Carmard folds his hands behind his back and looks over at Thordek a studied look of seriousness.

“As Buna explained to me, our most senior leaders went with the Silver Rune, Glorian, to join Prince Tolrin Jilker at the Icewind Pass. The forces that were sent be most of the garrison of Citadel Barakbar. All activity there be stopped and everyone left has been levied and armed under the remaining leadership there” Carmard says with a grim tone and a frown. Clearly it is not a situation he is happy about.

“No one sent has a long enough beard to properly command, so that leadership falls on us, here. Rather than being occupied leading the force, Buna, myself and the other qualified Arcanii will support the throng. Thordek, as a Levtokuld and senior here, I’ll ask ye to command and lead the center as ye see fit. Magnum’ll lead the right wing and Hjalmar the other” Carmard declares and looks at Hjalmar for his reaction.

The old paladin strokes the braids of his graying beard that falls to his waist and is adorned with golden rings. Parts of the beard are frayed from the hydra’s fire and recent battles and he has not had the time to properly braid it once again. He tilts his head slightly and looks at Carmard with a half smile and shifts his stance slightly, causing his massively thick armor to clank a bit.

“Well that’s a surprise…” Hjalmar says, with a measure of pride. “I’m not of your Patriarchate but from your gold dwarf cousins sent to figure if you are all heretics or not with our ambassadors. Now ye wish me to lead your forces?” he smirks at the thought. “Maybe after this ye will let me lead yer dwarves to join the Army of Gold and recover yer own homelands with our Crusade?” he asks, more for the reaction to it.

Carmard’s face reddens for a moment and than he shrugs at Hjalmar.

“Paladin Crownshield” he says with a glare. “I’m asking ye because you’ve led forces before and we need qualified commanders. That’d be ye. We have a task here and a matter of honor to see it through. Business with the Crusade and Deep Shanatar’s recovery is for Prince Tolrin and the Patriarch. They be two separate matters.

The inquest of your Ambassadors, clergy and yerself has been treated with tolerance as you represent the Thuulurn, the monastic center of the faith of Moradin for millennia. We understand yer curiosity and respect yer faith. Doing yer duty instead of bringing up matters beyond would be more... appreciated”

The two glare at each other for a moment, testing each other’s wills. Hjalmar had long resented being here instead of with his crusading Order and was frustrated by the Patriarchate’s lack of support. The mission with the Stoneburner and using it to destroy a part of the Spine of the World and with it a major stronghold of a cult of Auril led by a powerful white dragon was not something he had made clear he did not support. Not that he had anything against destroying a bunch of heathens, but that the Patriarchate had such a terrible weapon. With everything gone awry with the mission and the soul binded to the Stoneburner taking control and running, the Paladin was waiting for an opportunity to say he was right all along. Being asked to command part of the Patriarchate forces to recover it was something he was clearly relishing.

With a wide smile, Hjalmar nods to Carmard and leaves a great deal said, but unsaid.

“Aye, I’ll do it. Kill’em all and let their Gods sort’em out” he says with a bloody minded gleam in his eyes. “Don’t expect prisoners from me”

Both Theo and Yennifer look at the dwarven juggernaut with a degree of astonishment.

“Sir dwarf, most of those heathens are deluded by that artifact and quite possibly dominated by it. As the Demios made clear, their losses are not concerning for us but I object if you would butcher those surrendering in your zeal!” Theo says heatedly.

“Ye think a dwarf spares an orc?” Hjalmar asks him with a sneer. “We wipe out tribes to the last and run down any we can. It’s what they do to us. I've got a ring on me beard for every orc I've killed” He runs an armored hand over the length of his beard to emphasize the point. There are dozens of them between the braids.

Theo looks towards Carmard for the Arcanii to say something. There is a long moment of silence before he speaks.

“They’re not orcs. They’re Godsmen" Carmard says pointedly. "Let them dispense judgment, not us. Any who do not wish to fight or surrender are to be left. Moradin would judge us all poorly for killing someone as much a victim of the artifact as us”
Hjalmar thinks about it and adjusts his eye patch before giving Carmard a grudging agreement.

“Good” Carmard says, and shifts his focus back to Theo. “Now what forces will the Godsmen be contributing?”

[Katasi]

Arum sits listening, then says "I'll go wherever you want me, but just let me state that I don't like circle magic and I'm no good at it."

[mshady]

Carmard nods at that.

"Yes, we should teach ye that" he says thoughtfully and strokes his carefully groomed beard. "With all the Arcanii joining the circle, concentrating on dispelling their mages or other defensive magics, someone will need to hold the golem control rods. You and Arman would be the best for that. For the power a golem gives, the golem controls are surprisingly... simple. Thing'll be far too complex in there to simply let them operate alone"

[mshady]

“So, our commitment to the fight” Theo says with a weak smile and a tug at the collar of his robe. “As the Demios said, we are most appreciative of your presence in our time of distress”

Theo holds up his hand to ask them all to wait while he finishes. Already, Buna has a look of irritation and disappointment on her face,

“Keep in mind, before you came we assaulted the Western Foundry and suffered enormous loss doing so. Our Factol was wounded, several Demios slain and a great loss of life. Losses in the hundreds for us and a thousand or so lost to us on their side when slain in battle, and many still left alive on their side.

As such, our Factol has chosen to suffer the… indignity of allowing the Artifact to attempt Ascension and providing it with the means. The alternative is it takes those means and destroys the Godsmen in the process. At least the Great Foundry. Likely it will destroy itself in the process, as many of our own Factols have done, but one did succeed so… it is possibility. Thus, our Factol asks you to consider allowing us to provide it the means to try and hopefully fail” Theo says, seeming to recite something told to him. He than looks upward at the ceiling, a gesture common to Godsmen as they look upwards for approval of their betters.

“Eh?” Hextros grunts. “If you can just let it destroy itself, why not just let it?” the mercenary asks, than laughs at himself. “Why am I arguing? It’s the unnecessary fights that pay the best!”

Carmard and Buna give him a withering look.

“Aye, they may be willing to allow it to try but we’re profoundly not” is Carmard’s stern reply.

“In that case, the Demios you spoke with earlier has agreed to support you himself, along with his three apprentices. That includes myself. One of the others is particularly good with rope trick spells. He also…”

“Oh, because rope tricks will come in so handy!” Buna interjects.

“Yes, well perhaps?” Theo says, than glares at Buna with irritation. “It will be the Demios and his apprentices. That includes myself. His retinue will also be joining us. For protection, of course. Our role, however, will be limited to dispelling and self defense. Our role will be to undo the Imprisonment spell, so the Artifact can be taken away and disposed of. Sooner or later, someone else will unlock it and we would rather be rid of it now. Particularly as someone IS trying to unlock it now.

As for Demios Regina, Demios Kaladus and her have been rivals for some time. He sees her backing of the Artifact as a profound escalation of this rivalry and will not allow her to move ahead of him on the coat tails of this Artifact. Or perhaps she will try to control? Who is to know these things?” Theo says, and looks skyward once again.

”Well, that was… underwhelming” Buna comments, crossing her arms across his chest and scowling at Godsmen Theo.

“Would ye have us throw conscripts at them? They’d die in droves. Everything else, we must reserve in case they attack upwards” Theo says, shrugging.

“So hopefully we bleed them white, so they are less of a threat and you can come downstairs later huh?” Buna glowers at him. Carmard looks at him, but says nothing this time.

“No! That is not the intent at all. It is simply how things are”

“It is what it is” Carmard says finally.

[mshady]

OOC: Awfully quiet lately, people.... Bump!

[shaddy_24]

Magnum

The warrior priest listens to Carmard's explanation of the coming battle, storing information but staying quiet; at least until Carmard says that he's going to be leading one flank of the coming battle. At that point he steps forward. Thank you greatly for this Carmard. I won't let you down." He then steps forward to truely join the others around the map and starts taking mental notes on how he can work around the known terrain and planning battle strategies with different combinations of soldiers.

[thorgrim29]

Thordrek takes a second to get used to the idea of command, and salutes Carmard.

It's an honor arcani. Now then, we've talked tactics a bit, but we need to talk strategy too. For that, we need an accurate report of the terrain and opposing forces, so Wyatt and Sable should go as soon as possible.

[loopy]

(OOC: Hello all! Moved down to Sydney and started a new job over the last months, needless to say, things have been busy. How is everyone?)

Grathalmor

The Ironfist warrior bites down his pride as Carmard rebukes him, and manages a brief nod. "Ye be right, I ken. My pursuit of honour led me to abandon my companions." He excuses himself with a quick salute, gauntlet crashing against battered armour.

He strides over to the armorsmith, waving off anyone who tries to talk, clearly in a black mood. "Carmard told me to see ye about fixing my armour up for the fight ahead, or finding a new set if it comes down to it. I'll also need my weapon re-hafted if ye've got time."

[Katasi]

Arum nods. "I can control a golem for ya."

[Strangie]

Eventually, Wyatt and Sable come back from their mission, looking unharmed.

"Here we are! Miss us? No? Too bad. Awright, so I'm gonna try and make 'dis brief..." Wyatt says, wiping his brow. "So that whole path from here to the other building, it reeks of sulfur. Really hot. Like we thought, 'dere's a few traps... one I took care of, but 'dere's another 'dat is so wicked, it'll totally destroy any idea of a frontal assault. Buncha caltrops, see. Some of 'em are filled with poison, we think. 'dere's some connected to 'dese wires, which'll cause bottles which might be grenades and such to fall down onto us. I tried to disable this hellish thing, but when I started, one of the caltrops MOVED. Like it sensed me and had a mind of its own. If it kept goin', it mighta set off the whole trap and ruined our scouting mission. We're gonna need to take care of 'dat, first, if anything."

Wyatt scratches his head, thinking about that trap again, before continuing. "Sable was able to slip in through her Gaseous Form potion, and I'm only goin' by second-hand here so she might have to fill in the gaps for me as to what she saw... anyway, 'dey got a big spotlight contraption in their gatehouse, with six guys with crossbows and some other guy wearin' robes with a moon pattern on it who was just watchin' 'em. 'dey also got a scorpion, which is kinda like a giant crossbow or somethin'? Anyway... 'dere's not really any guards near the gatehouse, but from the gate itself 'dere's about a hundred guys with a variety of weapons and shields... standin' still, like statues. We think 'dey might be undead or somethin'. Uh... a bunch of camps of guards about 100 or 200 feet or so away from the gatehouse, from Sable's account 'dey weren't really watchin' the gate... 'dere must be at least a thousand guys in 'dere or so. And 'dere was a bunch of forge machinery and stuff too, some it looks like it was moved... maybe stolen? Eh. Anyway, 'dey had a bunch of people moving coal here and there and working on this wire extruder thing, I think it was called... Oh! At the far end of the chamber 'dere's a bunch of what we thought are wizards standin' in a circle around a black pit on the floor. Is 'dat the fancy circle magic stuff? Uhm... 'dere's like a giant throne, big enough FOR a giant, and indeed 'dere was someone sitting in it, 'dough he was made of stone and didn't have a head, so we thought it mighta just been some kinda decoration or somethin' 'cause it didn't move... um..."

Wyatt shrugs. "Don't think 'dere was nothin' else. Did I miss anythin', Sable?"

[mshady]

Theo looks at Carmard and Buna as Wyatt describes the statue with a concerned look on his face. He wipes his brow and frowns as he speaks.

“Its not a decoration. I’m not sure what it is, exactly. Is it very large, like a giant, yes?” he asks Wyatt. Both Wyatt and Sable nod in affirmation.

“Headless too?” he asks, by way of confirmation. Again, both scouts nod.

“Hurm” he says, his adam’s apple bobbing as he murmurs to himself. “It is not a decoration and was not there before. Perhaps that is what all the smoke was? They were forging that giant. As to what it is? It… sounds like a roughly formed golem. A golem is animated by an elemental spirit. Other… kinds have been tried before, but it is not a kind fate. As it is already a bound spirit though, one bent on ascension… perhaps it is an avatar? A mortal vessel for a being lacking a body? Interesting…” Theo says pensively.

Hjalmar growls in response, not liking the idea one bit.

“So yer saying, not only is it already all powerful, now it’ll have opposable thumbs? Undead too? Shalestone, I say! Less time we spend trimming our beards here, the better I say. Best to get on with it”

Hjalmar turns his eye towards Carmard and Buna with his self righteous “I told you so” look again and shakes his head. Neither Carmard or Buna respond to the provocation.

[mshady]

The Quartermaster’s Wagon

A weary Grathalmor drags himself over towards the quartermaster’s area in the dwarf camp his a scowl on his face, freshly upbraided for his pride by the Arcanii he had sworn to protect. While he was not specifically a follower Gorm, the dwarven God charged with the protection of their clan holds, his oath to protect Carmard had been sworn before a priest of Gorm and too long ago either. An important right of passage for them, and for respected dwarven warriors, was to work as an aide and protector of first an Arcanii and from there an important noble or even join The Patriarch’s Own. They were the order who protected the Patriarch himself.

Such a mistake could haunt him for a long time, and dwarves were typically neither ones to forgive or forget. Knowing Carmard as well as he thought, at least, he hoped this would be the end of it and the “lesson had taught itself”, as he often said.

The whole situation infuriated him. He was angry at himself. Angry at being tricked so easily. Angry at nearly being bested. Angry at the horrible damage to his precious armor and urghosh.

Right now, he had to worry about getting new armor though and have his urghosh repaired.

When he makes it to the quartermaster’s tents, watched by many of the other dwarves and especially ones he knew personally and all wondering what had happened to him.

The old quartermaster, with a long white beard and crinkled brow, gives Grathalmor an appraising look and whistles.

“So what happened to ye, kin? Get in a tangle with a dragon?” he says and laughs. Not that it was intended, but it is a stinging laugh and his cheeks go red at the remark. Knowing it best not to comment further, the quartermaster lines with a raised eyebrow before speaking again.

“Legionnaire armor is rare and expensive. I nay have a cart of the stuff about. Hand it here though and I can replace the banded mail and mend the rest. After I have the boy wash yer blood out of it. As for yer urghosh?” he looks at it with great skepticism.

“It’s a ruin. I could rehaft it, but the beard o’the axe is half chopped off too. However the hell ye did that. Those, we do have spares of” he says and points to a weapons rack behind him, where five more urghosh axes rest. “Pick through’em and I’ll work on this. We’ll worry about yer bill for this though, unless ye have a writ of exemption for the damage?” he asks. “No? Well, as ye own and paid for yer own kit as price for yer rank in part, ye have to see to its maintenance and lad, ye got a fair bit of it. We’ll talk, but I nay think you’ll have much time… Have a care with the dents next time, eh?”

With that, the quartermaster takes the armor in one hand and looks at it with a look of disgust at all the work he would have to do on it, and quickly. He immediately starts barking orders for his smiths to come over and begin work.

[Strangie]

"Wha? So they're tryin' to give 'em a physical body now? Somethin' like 'dat, well, I've dealt with golems in the past, 'dough rarely, and 'dey're nasty. Hopefully we can get 'dis done before it becomes active or we'll have a problem on our hands..."

Wyatt rubs his chin as he listens to Hjalmar. "Got a point 'dere. But you still got a problem. You can't exactly go barging in - 'dey've got a trap set in 'dere that'll tear you and anybody else a new one, in several ways at once, and it won't be pretty. We gotta deal with 'dat first. Very cleverly made - you basically can't touch this particular trap unless you're undead and I don't exactly plan on becoming 'DAT any time soon. I was thinkin', maybe, if we had somethin' to slip some guys past, take out the spotlight guard, and maybe trigger 'dat scorpion..."

Wyatt turns and kips up to his previous chair if it's not already occupied, looking down at the map and making some calculations. "Set off 'dat scorpion and have 'dem blow 'deir own trap wide open or somethin', maybe, and clear the way for the main forces... maybe throw down a smoke screen of some kind here and try to get our main troops in as far as possible..." He points at the gate area as he says this, trying to think of a way to best get everybody in. "Do we have any weapons or things 'dat I don't know about? Between Carmard's group, Blood Company, or this building... I've had experience with 'dis stuff before... bein' a scout, I've had to think of ways to get everybody ELSE into places too, not just myself, in my past days as a merc, and it ain't easy a lot of the time, unfortunately..."

[thorgrim29]

The golem is mostly irrelevant right now I think. Any magics they use to bind Barauk to a shiny new metal body won't be raining down on us, and if they manage it it'll only mean he'll come to the tombstones instead of us bringing them to him.

The trapped entryway is a bigger concern, but I have a few ideas on that.... We don't have time to disarm everything there, and even if we had the manpower to take the damage it would hardly be a sensible way to spend lives, so we need to set them off while we're not there.

Do we have anyone able to summon large creatures, preferably earth or air elementals? A big enough earth elemental could probably go under the trap and mix things up enough to bury most of the caltrops and set off any secondary trap, an air elemental could blow them away. A less dispellable way would be multiple castings of stone wall spell over the caltrops, to form a ramp of sorts. Once that's done, a few fireballs should be able to take out the artillery and disturb enemy lines enough for us to form a bridgehead. Problem is that kind of magic kind of tips our hand, and surprise is pretty much our biggest advantage here.

[Strangie]

"Oh! Hey! Thordrek's got the right idea. We can take a page from Harold's book and throw some elementals in 'dere if anybody's got some summoning powers. Use 'dat to throw off the trap, and then use it to open up an attack on the soldiers out front here, the supposedly undead ones. Elementals are pretty tough against standard attacks, from my experience, so... anybody else got an opinion on 'dat?"

[mshady]

Despite his braggadocios nature, Hextros has largely been silent for most of the meeting. Indeed he had waited quietly, if not impatiently, until Sable and Wyatt's return. When she does return, he pays carefully attention to the report the two give, even if she is not the one speaking. Even afterwards, he does little more than murmur to himself as he looks down at the map and frowns slightly at it. Particularly the part about the trap and all the caltrops blocking their path.

" A regular grab bag of caltrops?" Hextros finally rumbles. "You do see the problem of that, right? They covered most of the floor with them?" he asks. It takes Sable and Wyatt a moment to realize it is not a rhetorical question before they nod.

"About 40 feet. They covered the tunnel with them" Sable says quietly.

"With a big and complicated trap over head?" he says and snorts, than simply laughs at the situation.

"I'm glad you find this all amusing. Want to lead the charge?" an infuriated Buna says. Several others around the table murmur in agreement.

"Me? Oh, not at all!" he laughs in reply. "Just realize it is not just a trap. They're trying to deny that whole passage to you. Obviously, with the caltrops. If you trigger that trap, it'll just fall and cause a tremendous racket and oh yes, the area will a flaming pit. Oh, throw some alchemical poison gases in there too. Even your mighty golems would be felled in there. Iron ones, yes? Powerful and nigh on invulnerable. Pity iron itself is such is so easy to ruin in heat. All that weight, it'd just buckle from the weakness. They're golems, but they're iron. By the time you get through all THAT, you'll be facing them all as soon as we be through" he says, shaking his head.

"Thank ye for telling us what you think won't work" Carmard says in a very dry tone, bristling at the mercenary's comments. "Now what is it your forces contribute? They seem quite... diverse" Carmard says, not bothering to be more polite than that.

"Oh yes, I was going to mention that..." he says with a lazy, infuriating smile. "We have 60 tieflings with halberds in two detachments, for now. There also be 40 elite swordsmen left, who fight using darkness spells and skills in blind fighting and another 40 rank and file swordsmen that are a muddle of races. They all have bows or crossbows. I'm not much for standardizing that kind of thing, really.

We also have 20 tieflings with leather that can throw javelins that can alight and some grenades. Mainly they run out in front of everyone and throw their sticks and run back. Now..." he says, and smiles broadly. "We also have the Slaads"

"Yes, we notice the toad demons, devils.. whatever they be." Carmard says stiffly. "I nay seen them in Way Ward till we left"

"They're not... a garrison force" Hextros admits with a shrug. "We have about 40 red slaads, powerful but some of the lowest ranking but a match for any of your minotaurs I say, and 10 blue ones... and Izod, of course. The one with the whip" Hextros says and gestures towards his own encampment. "If they nay ate the citizens there, they're fill them full of eggs or give them fevers and we'd have many little Slaads running about. They're a bit of a pestilence, really!" Hextros laughs his rumbling laugh. "You say a thousand on the other side? Ah, the possabilities of that!" smiles broadly.

The immediate area is suddenly rather quiet. Theo looks at him with a look of astonishment.

"The very thought of that makes me... ill" Theo finally says, with great indignity.

"Does it, now?" Hextros asks, his eyes wide and lips curled back into a smile. The mercenary's look is enough to make Theo quaver and take a step back from the table.

"That's enough, Hextros" Carmard says, intervening before things degenerated. Hextros smiles down at him and nods. "Distasteful as they are, they're quite... powerful. Tell us about them" Carmard requests.

"With pride" Hextros says. "They joined us a decade or so ago, off in the Blood Wards. It was Izod and a small handful of Reds and two Blues. At times, we've had over a hundred or so. Quickly even, as cheap as buying slaves for breeding stock. So..." Hextros is about to continue before Buna raises a hand to stop him.

"Slaves?" she asks.

"Yes. Wouldn't due to just kidnap people off the streets. Better to be legitimate about it"

"You were going to sell the people of Way Ward off as slaves, but I heard you had little luck with them"

"Yes, wasn't much too them and they were all rascals and thieves from Sigil really"

"So... what did you do with the ones you couldn't... sell?" Buna asks, a look of utter disgust on her face.

"As I said, I have about 50 Slaad here. We were fighting hydras, remember?" Hextros says, his eyes intent and smiling at either his cruelty or resourcefulness.

Buna throws her hands up in the air and shakes her head.

"I can't believe you struck a deal with this fiend!" Buna says, completely exasperated. Hjalmar looks at Hextros with a murderous glare. The Paladin clearly does not care for this at all.

"We fight the Blood Wars. We're mercenaries. Not a choir" Hextros retorts, crossing his arms across his barrel chest.

With a sigh, Carmard looks at Buna. His look is almost sympathetic.
"If I nay dealt with them, we'd have to fight for passage. If we waited for reinforcements, it would have been bloody as well. I'd rather sacrifice gold than lives, though I surrender both reluctantly" he tells her.

"Can I continue? As much as I love rubbin' your up turned noses at reality outside your own Plane, I've an important point to make to you" the mercenary asks with annoyance. "I can wait if there be another sermon coming"

Carmard glares at him with his mirthless black eyes and reluctantly nods for him to continue.

"Slaads can summon more Slaads, at the right time. I can call for it or one of ye can, since you're paying. Its hit or miss, depends on their age I suppose..."

"Oh great, more slaads..." Buna mutters under her breath, which only causes Hextros to smile.

"The red ones, in small groups, make this croaking noise that stuns their foes. In a group, it's devastating I assure you" Hextros smiles with pride. "The blues are terrifying in melee, very large and fast with big claws on their hands. Of course, all the slaads are armored. Of course... the best thing about the blue slaads is they can use magic..." Hextros says with a smile and waits.

Finally taking the bait, Carmard finally asks what kind.

"They can use hold and telekinesis spells as much as they please, but also what your mages may call Pass Wall spells" he says, smiling wider than before. "It's a good thing you hired us, master dwarf. If you can't get past that tunnel, I can bypass it for you. Not everyone can go through the paths they create as their mages can dispel them or worse and kill many trying to get through. I can get a good sized group past them though. See? You need us" he smiles. "Now, let's talk payment up front, eh?"

[Strangie]

Wyatt listens, with mild disgust, at Hextros' description of his slaads. His eyes light up at the mention of Passwall, though.

"... Passwall? So we can just go through walls? Like whatever? We could open all sorts of flanks and stuff with 'dat! Maybe get a strike force up close to those wizards and distract them while the rest of the forces come out from multiple areas. Oh, 'dis would be good..." Wyatt pans the map, using this new knowledge coupled with his own from his scouting mission with Sable to analyze the map again. "Payment ain't my problem, 'dough, so, uh... y'know." He waves his hand in the general direction of Carmard and the others. "Not my place to say, unfortunately."

[loopy]

"Whatever ye can do, Quartermaster," Grathalmor nods at the elder dwarf. "I'll away to prepare for the upcoming assault, if ye can send a runner to me when repairs are finished, I'd be grateful."

He then returns to Carmard, Wyatt, Sable and the others.

[mshady]

Yennifer listens with some degree of horror at the description of what Hextros did with the Slaads in Way Ward and the implication of what would be happening here if they were victorious.

"Well versed as I am in the realities of the Planes and the... procreation of slaad, I must say... you are an absolutely wicked, evil thing!" she scowls at Hextros. The mercenary takes the insult as a compliment and smiles, bowing towards her with an arrogant flourish of the hand.

"Their mages may cause trouble, but you have enough to counter them. You're taking a hardened force of soldiers and killers, both groups, and throwing them at some soldiers, but mostly armed workers who have been duped or dominated. What are a few hundred dead to monsters and believers?" she asks, arms crossed across her chest.

"Oh, and how else do we get to the Artifact?" Hextros says, his tone dripping with condescension.

"I'm going to go in there" she declares. "With John if he wants; by myself if I have to. Maybe I can get some to run or stand aside. At worst, we'll be inside already and able to aid if it is for the worst"

She waits while the others look at her in shock, or derision.

"They may have been conned into following that... thing, but that artifact and that Demios have nothing on me when it comes to playing to a crowd" she smiles broadly.

Hextros looks at her and guffaws.

[ArmanMadero]

Arman listened to everything and worked on one of the problems in his head a little. He looked at Wyatt when he said that they would have to be undead to touch it. basically.

So what about a Golum?

Arman looked to Carmard. "For the first trap that Wyatt mentioned. What about a Golum? they are animated much like a undead creature. Would they work for that first trap?"

[Strangie]

Wyatt shrugs at Arman. "It'd work if you want to just have the thing clobber through the trap and set the whole thing off and make a big mess. ... 'dat might make a good distraction, though..."

[Werewhale]

Nalrak Ironfist

Nalrak spots Grath approaching the table. Quietly retiring from the war council -he hadn't been adding much to the conversation anyway- he confronts his cousin a little ways from the huddle.
After silently obstructing his path with his arms crossed for a short moment he comments gruffly "Ye look diminished without yer armour, cousin" but fails to hide a smirk. After another moment, he relaxes and puts an armored hand on Grath's shoulder and adds in a softer tone, "Everyone makes mistakes, aye? We learn and do not dwell, eh? Come Grath, we need you at the... er... huddle or whatever we're calling it."

[Gorgondantess]

Johannes snorts with derision at Hextros' comments, and reaches out to give him a smack (assuming he's next to Joh- it'll probably be on the knee, considering the height differences.:smallwink:) There's some weight behind it, but taking Hextros' stature into consideration, it's little more than a nudge: more of an act of condescension than aggression. "The old lug's just trying to get a rise out of you. 'Sides, these slaads are strictly concordians: any dretch has seen far worse sights than their mating habits."
He smiles a bit, and shakes his head at Yennifer's reaction. "Apparently it's been too long since you've last visited the Sensorium's underlevels."
Joh nods at her words after, however, and gets up, orating levelly and calmly, but with weight behind his words. "I was thinking along the same lines myself; throw a decent illusion at them and they'll probably break ranks. We should be able to get through this with little bloodshed, once we weed out the high ups and fanatics."
Then, he turns to Hextros, staring him in the eye, and reaching up to prod him in the sternum. "And before you get to moaning about all that, remember you weren't hired to run about in slaughter, you were hired to follow orders."
He then turns to Carmard. "And before you run on with your distance and your pragmatism, remember: a living ally is far more valuable than a dead enemy. And there's few greater allies than one that owes you a life debt."

[mshady]

Hextros takes the nudge from Johannes without moving, but he seems surprised and laughs at the dwarf's attempt.

"You may live in a mountain, but you'll not move one!" he says, and laughs. "Follow orders? Just tell us what to kill, and we kill. Tell us to stop?" he asks and winks. "We'll do that too. Eventually"

Yennifer gives Hextros a withering scowl and looks towards Johannes, eyebrow raised at the small rebuke.

"Oh, I... play quite often in the under levels. They're our special place, remember?" she says slyly and places a possessive hand on Johannes's shoulder, to make her point to the others. "You remember your safe word, right?" Yennifer purrs.

Having made her point, she turns back to the group.

"I'll admit to enjoyining a life of dark hedonism as much as the next woman" she says, smiling first at Sable and than to a rather indignant Buna, "but even we draw the line at death. Well, the non-consensual kind anyways. I think we can scare off some or enlighten some of the others. Illusions would work, the right kind of enchanted melody the others? We'll see. I have to try"

Carmard takes it all in with silence. His left cheek twitches at one point after Johannes addresses him, a sign of supressed emotion.

"Fine" he finally says, chosing to ignore the rebuke for now. "Mind the fireballs heading down range" he warns. "Do what ye can, at the right time"

[thorgrim29]

Good luck to you Miss, I hope you manage to make our task easier, as I don't like needless killing. But I do however know that if there is a need, it is best to be absolutely ruthless so as not to endanger the live of our troops.

Now about the traps.... The Slaad suggestion has merit, I'll not deny, but it does leave us, at best, with an uncoordinated army on the other side, at worst with our forces cut in half and many lost to the dispelling of the passwalls. So while it would be ideal to send a small, elite force through, we still need to think of a way to go through that doorway. Did anyone have any toughts on what I proposed?

[mshady]

Carmard nods in Thordek's direction as he reiterates his point from earlier.

"Elemental summoning is... beyond Buna and I. I assure ye, Harold made it look easy. Our golems are powerful but... as Hextros said, still merely iron. The temper'll be taken from them and they'll be useless if in a hot enough fire... and we still have the fire, which burns how long?" Carmard grumbles at that thought. "Triggering the trap is nay a problem. Getting through after, however, is. Ye remember the orc shaman?" Carmard asks.

"Kelith was given that shaman's wand. One that uses the pyrotechnics spell. He used a few fire pots to blind and stun some of ye. We used it on Harold to scare them out o'that building. I suspect their mage would use similar... only this time, it'd be an inferno. A summoning of fire elementals in that would be... a horror for us. Kelith would have to be there to deal with the elementals, to rebuke them." he says, and grimaces.

"I cannae risk going under the trap, even with the gate cleared. If we trigger it, it would be an inferno. Even if we flooded it, the fire would just float atop it. We can mitigate that by clearing the gate house, but only Sable and Wyatt can get into it and it'd be a significant risk at that" he says, and sighs.

"Using the stone wall spells is a fine idea, though. We flatten the caltrops and just walk in. That part, I like. Good think'n" Carmard smiles.

"A thought" Buna says, interjecting herself. "Barauk'll know his weaknesses to anti-magic. Golems are nay changed by anti-magic though. One o'many reasons that wizards like'em so, as they're not magic at all but a body animated by an elemental spirit, not a truly magicked animation"

"So?" Hjalmar asks, irritated by another discussion of arcane theory again.

"So... if Barauk is mounted atop that golem body, his spirit animates it. We MAY knock out his magic still, but we're left against a titan. Without our own magic... The tombstones would work for him, at that point"

[Melody]

As long as the stone wall spell does not disturb the lines tied to the nets above it should be fine. Though I dislike the idea of the nets being unsecured. They might have a way to drop the nets without the caltrops setting them off. Would a web spell be sufficient to hold the weight? Perhaps I am being paranoid but even one of those nets dropping would be disasterous.

I like the idea of using the passwall spells once the main assault has started, it will give them pause to have units popping up as the main group is charging. The confusion alone would be to our advantage. We should get a group early if possible as well.

I would suggest using gaseous form. The area is trapped and unstable and we should be able to get a descent sized group inside the gatehouse that way. We can neutralize their guards and let whoever is best equipped to deal with the golem take a look at what they're dealing with. We can use the spotlight to signal when the area is secure for whoever is going to cover the caltrops.

We get the staging area secured and safe, we signal again and bring the troops in under a silence spell. After the main group is ready to charge Yennifer gets a chance to give her speech or whatever her conscience feels she needs to do. Then when the charge is sounded Hextros starts bringing his troops in with the Pass Wall spells and the main force advances through the gatehouse.

[mshady]

Tapping the map with his finger, Carmard nods as he listens to Sable's plan.

"Yes, yes... you're right. We drop the stone walls on the caltrops, we trigger the trap" he says. "By your description of it, any paranoia would be justified. They could easily use pyrotechnic spells to turn that inferno into choking smoke and we all die for lack of air" Carmard winces.

"The web spells on the nets are a fine idea. I’m nay seeing a way ‘round that trap. Tripping it is a disaster, whether we be under it or not, nor can we disarm it truly. That much effort though, there be warding spells they can put on it to prevent tampering. Or alarm spells. Or even trigger it from a distance or just from inside the gate house. Have to deal with those too…” he says, realizing an additional obstacle. “Theo?” he turns and asks the Godsmen mage.

“Umm, yes?” he replies, with some trepidation.

“You said you Godsmen would stick with dispelling and a secondary role? Well, when we go, I want all of ye to batter that trap with dispels. Then ye web the entire length of it. If ye have a Wall of Force prepared ‘s well, that’d be useful as well. After Sable and whomever she can take clear that gate house” he dictates to the Godsmen. “She’ll use that spotlight to signal ye”

“Oi, and here ye thought ye were bringing up the rear” Hjalmar laughs, enjoying the turn of events.

“That should allow us to get through the corridor more quickly. As for the Pass Wall... and the Slaads… how do ye want to use them? The spells last awhile, but they’ll dispel it quickly and the Slaads being their strongest force, it’ll put them out of position. Ye can either open another flank, go for their wizards directly, or use’em to secure the entry”

[Strangie]

"I told ya 'dat trap was somethin' outta 'dis world. I could have taken care of it... were it not for the bouncing caltrops."

Wyatt folds his arms, rocking on his heels. "Ah well. I'm with Sable and clearing the gatehouse, unless someone has a better plan for me."

[loopy]

"Aye..." Grathalmor sighs, before squaring his shoulders and clapping his cousin on the back. "Aye, cousin. Now, lets see about surviving this battle and finding something to drink. Reckon these Planesmen have managed to brew anything worth drinking?"

[mshady]

As Grathalmor is stopped by his cousin, it occurs to him the situation was a bit of a role reversal between the two. Nalrak had been the refugee from the Clan after causing, or at least being blamed, for a fiery accident at their Clan’s stills. The Ironfists were known for powerfully distilled spirits and the distillery was a major source of the refugee clan’s income until a fire. Nalrak had left the Clan, and his family, in shame for the incident and had said little ever since about it. He had come to the Patriarchate and found a new life and a new calling as a cleric of Dumathion.

Grathalmor had not left the Clan, but was sent by them, with his head held high. The Patriarchate armed, armored and trained the best of the Ironfist warriors as part of the new alliance between the two. Well, the Ironfists politely thought of it as an alliance but in truth they joined the growing Patriarchate because they needed soldiers and the Ironfists needed wealth. Now their own king was a vassal of a priest of Moradin, not even the patron of the shield dwarves. Of course, Moradin had chosen Dumathion, so what was wrong with both? Grathalmor’s skill and drive was enough he was one of a very few Ironfist warriors that stayed on for more advanced training in some of the truly ancient martial forms of the Jilkers. Now he was a respected warrior, part of a special order dedicated to the destruction of heresy, particularly the infamous Cults of the Axe. These Cults were small dwarven groups that worshipped sentient axes that were once gifts from Clangeddin and now corrupted by time and vile magic rites, which enthralled other dwarves and filled them with blood lust.

Now the proud dwarven knight was being counseled by his way ward cousin on doing something rash. Had anyone ever offered such to Nalrak?

The two’s brief discussion is interrupted when a young smith comes trotting over with his armor in hand, still damaged. He salutes Grathalmor and Nalrak, but it would hardly qualify as a crisp and formal one but of course, this was a smith or a smith’s apprentice, not a soldier.

“Quartermaster Fenwick told me to bring this back to ye” the young smith says. He holds the battered armor up with one hand and looks at it skeptically, wondering what he had run into that had damaged it so, yet allowed the dwarf inside to still live. Clearly, Grathalmor had been wounded gravely so things made a bit more sense to the smith. “He saz he cannae fix dis in time for you, Knight Grathalmor. He saz you carrying other armor and it be black and not so battered. He take dat and use mending and heat weld it on forge and anvil. Have it for you, one hour. He also say you should try not to get hit again. I washed all the blood out for you and oiled it. He also say I need to be quick or use forge tongs on my toes for being slow” the whiskered young smith says in his halting speech, smiling at the end when he talks about the forge tongs and his toes, no doubt an empty but oft repeated threat.

Can’t be older than 30? both cousins think.

No sooner does he finish than he hands Grathalmor’s battered armor back and hefts the sack containing the Black Orc’s not-quite-as-battered adamantine breast plate, without asking for permission even. He simply relieved Grathalmor of the armor while he was still surprised at having his old armor pushed into his hands. Without a care, the young dwarf slings the sack over his back, gives the best salute he can manage and walks off, whistling a familiar mining tune.

[thorgrim29]

Thoughtfully running a hand in his beard, Thordrek recaps the situation.

So we send a small group though the wall with the slaads' help, and just as they take out the guard post we advance through the trap, now hopefully disarmed thanks to web and force spells holding the things on the ceiling and wall spells spread thin on the ground, crushing the caltrops. Once that's done, I'd say we open up with a magical barrage before our mages are too busy counterspelling, giving time for our army to form up. Then we advance. We'll want to keep integrity as much as the terrain permits it... We don't have enough troops to have a dedicated infantry reserve force, but we have enough mobile troops to have at least two mobile relief force, probably the cavalry and minotaurs on a side, and the golems and slaads on another, from what I understand of the slaads it'd be best if they don't have many flesh and blood allies around them. These forces will be used to break the back of large enemy groups that are already engaged with our infantry. Our ranged troops will be better used if they concentrate fire on living forces that can be routed, and sniping enemy commanders and mages if they find them. Finally, we'll need a small commando force to go after that elf woman, Sable and Wyatt seem logical choices, but I'm a bit weary of sending only two people, as good as they are, against an whole cabal of mages.

[mshady]

“Sable… can you please take this quill and tell us where you see their troops and the layout inside now? I assume it’s a bit of a’clutter in there and they’ve set up defenses against a frontal attack. Against other Godsmen, I’d expect they’d be murderous but they nay expect us” he smiles humorlessly.

Carmard hands the quill to Sable and turns towards Hextros as she and Wyatt work. He pointedly wrings his hands before speaking.

“So… your money” he says, announcing the next topic without any pleasure.

“Ah? So you are going to pay us and trust us not to abscond with it?” the massive mercenary says and laughs his rumbling laugh. Neither Carmard or Buna seem amused.

“Not even slightly” Carmard smiles back at him thinly. “We do trust ye will stay for the rest though”

Hextros smiles widely, barring his sharp teeth, and reaches into a pouch and pulls out a round, platinum coin.

“I trust in me!” he announces proudly and holds up the coin for all to see, than laughs. The coin was actually minted with an image of Hextros on it, something that seems to provide him with no end of amusement.

“For a heartless sellsword, murderer, criminal and who knows what else and worried if your own men are going to kill ye unless ye deliver, ye sure think all this be funny” Hjalmar remarks dryly. Buna nods in approval while Carmard simple continues to look up at the towering mercenary.

“I do! This is all so… exciting” he says and smiles. “What are you going to do? What am I going to do? More importantly… what are ye going to do without me? Without me personally. Now THAT would be amusing. I might even demand more payment, given the risk” he smiles slyly.

“What? He hasn’t even given you his terms yet! You can’t raise them!” Buna exclaims, but it only provokes Hextros to laugh again.

“No, but I raise them anyways! Such are my demands!” he smiles broadly again.

Carmard looks at Hextros and says nothing for awhile before he is sure the mercenary is done with his bravado.

“Your terms of payment are as follows. For you and your lieutenants, you’re given 8000 gold to bribe them however you see fit. For your soldiers, I offer 30 gold coins apiece. For the Slaads, I offer 50 for every red, 100 for every blue. That’s the only offer you get” he says stiffly.

Hextros looks at him, probably thinking if he can weasel any more out of Carmard, who is clearly becoming irate.

“If I don’t?” Hextros asks boldly.

“If you don’t take the gold, we’ll kill you” he says coolly. “I’d point out you’re alone at this table” Carmard gestures. “After that, I’ll offer the same deal to your Yugoloth, Volkross. I’m sure he’ll be quite happy to be rid of ye and get paid”

The two look at each other before Hextros nods.

“Fine” the mercenary says, thoroughly unhappy with what amounts to an exorbitant price.

“Some advice for ye lad? Don’t try to twist a dwarf’s beard over gold when you need it to save yer own gilded arse” Buna smirks.

With that mattered settled, Carmard sets to taking the funds from his satchel and sends a runner to the quartermaster for the rest. By the time they are done, dozens and dozens of golden trade bars sit on the table. The mercenary leader puts them all into saddle bags and throws them over his shoulder before giving them all a glare and stalking off.

“Now lets hope they don’t kill him. Today, anyways” Carmard remarks. “Tomorrow I cannae care less” He takes a rag and wipes his hand before turning back to the map to check Sable’s work.

“Well.. this should be bracing” he comments at the map of the fortifications. “Sword and axe work, I think”

[mshady]

“Interest’n plan” Hjalmar grunts approvingly, satisfied with his own critical, but limited, part. “Further I’m from the hell spawns, the better”

“Most o’that seems fine, but I have a question” Carmard says, arms folded behind his back. “To be sure I heard right… the slaadi will take the gate house and not Sable and Wyatt? Interestin’ choice if so, as if they’re committed to the gate house… they’ll have a hard time gett’n behind the lines to take a shot at the mages. They could access the ladders and gangways over the factory from there though, but I’d expect that to be guarded or trapped. Always the drainage pipes, I suppose…”

Buna looks a bit more skeptical at the plan.

“How do them big, fat slaadi get down that corridor unseen? Well, could come at it from outside the corridor and pass wall right into it. How do ye think two scouts, or whatever Sable is, are going to deal with a cabal of mages? They’re unwinding an Imprisonment spell, and I nay knew they could be done since the Troubles. A wind wall or entropy spells and their arrows’ll do nay a thing, nevermind actual magic they have. I doubt their Demios over there is as good as Glorian, but better than Carmard or I. After the fun we had with Harold, I think we need some more. What ‘bout death magic? Send all the Slaads at them, I say. I like Sable, and even the runt. I don’t mind losing a few slaads. They’ll just breed more from anyways…” she grumbles at the last part.

Carmard grunts and looks at Thordek.

“Merits to both ways. Sable and Wyatt, and whomever else they take, just need to distract’em, not end them. Now… where’s the rest of Blood Company in yer plan, Thordek? Who’s commanding what? I’d like Nalrak to command as well here”

[mshady]

As the group sorts out matters for the coming battle, a dwarf with a dark leather trench coat over his armor and a dress fedora hat saunters up to the group with a satchel over his shoulder. He was wearing ornamental spectacles and has a neatly trimmed moustache that has been greased into a short handle bar style and a pointed beard held with a gold clasp. A tan cloak, lined with the fur of a winter wolf, is thrown over his shoulder in a jaunty fashion and reveal two holsters and pistols sitting with their grips forward instead of back. His boots, clearly dress boots instead of a military style, are highly polished (not by himself, of course) and the attached spurs click on the floor as he approaches. Two Forgemark bodyguards trail him, wearing red cloaks and banded mail. Like Grathalmor and Nalrak are to Carmard, these two are to the approaching Arcanii.

Several glance at him and return to their discussion, but Thordek, Grathalmor, Nalrak and particularly Johannes recognize this Arcanii.

“Well if it isn’t the dandy…” Buna comment wryly as he takes a place around the table, brashly and without asking.

Last seen by the rest in Citadel Barakbarr, the dwarf had helped the group on their way out to recover a fallen standard lost by another party in a battle the presumably local duergar. Helped them by pilfering supplies from the arcane vaults no less, but it had been for a good cause. It had hackled the stiff Carmard considerably, but the aid had proved invaluable and the origin was overlooked. That he had been one of the survivors had not been looked favorably on by others who thought he should have stood with his comrades. That it would have been certain death regardless was irrelevant. At least that was what some thought. The bitter truth was that an Arcanii or cleric’s life really was worth the lives of a dozen others in hard battle field calculus. At first cowed by the views of other, the realization of the second part had filled him with a measure of self-importance.

Bowing and sweeping his hat with a flourish in Buna’s direction, he smiles at her in a more than friendly manner and turns his attention to a stone faced Carmard.

“Good to see you, Arcanii Grindstaff” he says, with an empty smile.
“And you, Murtak Blackshear” Carmard replies, addressing him only by name instead of rank. The two share a chilly look before the new arrival continues.

“Once again, I come bearing gifts!” Murtak announces, eluding to their previous history purposefully.

“Given freely, I trust?” comes Carmard’s dry reply.


“Of course. Not that they’d know the difference. I thought I’d be bringing ye the golem control rods. For Nutz and Boltz. As you requested, I recall?”

He reaches into his satchel and pulls out two rods. They look like cast iron pipes at first glance, but they are heavily ensorcelled using golden wire and chunks of red, ferrous iron. He hefts the two rods, which are clearly of a significant weight, and smiles.

“A demonstration is in order, yes?” Not bothering to wait for an answer, he turns behind him and holds both rods ahead of him and says the name of each golem. Several hundred feet away, the heads of the inert golems rise up and look in his direction.

“They’re actually elementals, really" he says casually. "Earth ones. Instead o’the spirits animating a bunch of dirts and rocks, we take the pure spirit and them in something of a much better construction. Of course… they’re also be spirit bound to the shell we summon them. The hardest spells are to control the raging spirits; that’s the trick of golem making. These rods here? They’re more a prod than a rod. You prod them with what to do. Unlike with animals though, when you use the prod they do what you tell them. Well, not sure how the rods’ll work in a null magic field as they be magic, even if the golem’s not” he says and shrugs happily.

“Come here, Nutz. Come here, Boltz!” he says. He holds out the rods and waves them towards himself. Obediently, the golems start to lumber towards him. Each step is a loud thump and a bang. Occasionally metal clatters on metal as they move.

Holding the rods tipped towards him, Murtak waves them once towards the golems.

“Stop Nutz! Stop Boltz!” he exclaims. Again, both golems stop immediately.

“Back up, Nutz! Back up, Boltz!” he says once again. He waves both rods forwards and the golems walk back wards. His point made, he stops the golems and they wait obediently once again.

“I think ye get the idea with that part, yes? Left and right work the same. Now if you point at a location and say “Go!”, well they go there. Do you see this crystal on the side here? They’re set to walking speed now, but if ye move it up a click, they run. Up one more click, they sprint. We’ll nay be doing that in here. Can get a bit… exciting at that point” he says and laughs.

“Now ye can do a couple things. If ye want the golem to protect ye, take the crystal from the head of the road by the string and drape it ‘round your neck. The golem’ll protect the wearer from anything ye perceive as a threat, but it has to be with’n a hundred feet or so.

Otherwise, ye just twist the top so it clicks and press the red jewel down ‘nto the slot. That’ll send the golem into undirected attacks ‘gainst anything round it ye perceive as a threat.

If ye really want to be precise though, ye press the jewel down, point the rod at something and tell it to attack. It’ll focus on just that. Don’t worry too much ‘bout your aim. As they say, it’s the thought that counts, aye?” he chuckles.

“So” he says, and looks at Arum and Arman “Ye got it?”

[thorgrim29]

The slaadi will provide the way to the gatehouse, whether or not they're the ones doing the attacking matters little, as long as it's coordinated with the spellcasters taking out the trap, at that point discretion is less important then thoroughness. And sending the slaadi against the mages..... The idea certainly has merit, but aren't they a bit too chaotic for such critical work? On the other hand, Sable an Wyatt probably can't do the job alone, and to my knowledge we don't have a lot of people qualified for that kind of thing. It's a conundrum. I'd have the Company take one of the flanks, because I don't trust them holding the center. For the center, I'd take the Levtokuld and half the legionaries, the balance of our infantry can be another flank. Here's a tought, the blindfighters Hextro talked about would be a perfectly adequate wildcard unit. We could send them and a few blue Slaad to circle around the battlefield and make mayhem once the battle starts. We could also offer them a sizable bonus for the traitor Demios' head.

He nods at the Dandy

Arcani

[Melody]

Sable marks down the exact location of the troops on the map and sketches in the safe path that they took through the traps. Her sketches are very rough and mostly show landscape and distance with small notations telling what things should properly look like. The shapes are all there, but the details are left out. She pulls out another sheet and draws what the traps in up before the caltrop field look like and tells how Wyatt disarmed them. Then draws the caltrop field in it's relation to the gatehouse and the nets above it. She adds dimensions to the picture relating the depth of 30' to the gatehouse is similarly covered.

She draws in a sketch of the gatehouse as she saw it with the location of the spotlight, Scorpion and the seven men one of which was a mage. She marks the location of the 100 men she could see from the gatehouse at 20' out and a notation beside them that they appeared to be undead and a quick gear list of what she saw them wearing. She notes the locations of all the guard camps she saw and what they were doing at the time, drill, drinking, whatever she includes distance estimates beside each. She notes the location of the wire extruder which she could see and lines showing people moving coal and notes saying what sounds she heard and when possible the direction they were coming from.

She draws in the mages circle along with any of the symbols that she could see, anything characteristic about any of the mages including what they were wearing on particularly apparent features. Then lastly she draws in the headless stone golem on it's iron throne.

"That's everything that I can think to put in there", pausing she sketches two dead bodies in the corner of the gatehouse with crossbow bolts sticking out of them just as she had the rest of the furniture. "Yeah, I think that's about it, anything I'm missing Wyatt?"

[Strangie]

"Well, you went into 'dat place and not I, so I couldn't really say, but it looks about right to me..."

Wyatt scratches his head. "Now the tricky part is just stayin' alive for the next part..."

[mshady]

Here is the RP XP from the last time Melody calculated it... Sorry about the um.. delay on that.

I'm going to ball park your combat XP later tonight and see if it advances anyone.

Some of these reflect "mini-ventures". If you folks ever want to run a session independently, grab me on MSN and we can RP stuff that way. Email address is [email protected]

Werewhale – 2200 xp
Melody – 3100 xp
Thorgrim – 2600 xp
Strange – 3564 xp
Arman – 2100 xp
Gorgondantress – 1700 xp
Tharar Greenleaf – 3200 xp
Loopy – 2200 xp
Katasi – 600 xp
Shaddy – 600 xp

Still tinkering with the next stage. Will try tonight but I would expect Sunday, as I'll have a lot of time this weekend as I will be away for the weekend. As it turns out, I have to do a total conversion here so its taking longer. Tracking so many forces, while epic, is also logistically tough. I tossed it and working on something different now. Much better :) Simplier though!

[mshady]

Carmard taps the map and smiles wrly.

"How 'bout this?" he says, and taps the map where the gate house is. "The Slaads open the way up and a detachment of Levtokuld take the gatehouse. Should be quick..." he muses. "We fit as many arbalesters as we can in there and the Arcanii. Sable and Wyatt too. That gets us access to scaffolds, but reckon they'll try to knock them down so not putting many dwarves up there"

He runs his finger down the corridor.

"We signal when all is clear. The Godsmen delouse the trap with dispels, web it, and than Thordek drops the stonewalls on the caltrop. It's nay quick, but it be the best we can do. Figure they try to hold the gate with undead to buy time fer the rest to assemble.

I like the idea 'bout turning loose their swordsmen and slaads to go after the mages. I hear Slaads like mages" Carmard smiles slightly, than frowns.

[Strangie]

"Heh. Lookin' like you and me, Sable, along with anybody else 'dey send along with us, yeah? It sounds like we got a solid plan runnin'..."

Wyatt stands up on his chair, folding his arms with his head held high, a grin on his face. "And it all began with us scoutin' folk. Where would you guys be without us, eh? The day you guys pulled me outta 'dat cave was the best thing, for you AND me. It's a win-win situation, and 'dose are the ones I like best. So what's next?"

[mshady]

"Someone's buck'n fer a bonus" Buna smiles slyly.

[mshady]

Carmard rubs his hand over his face, clearly weary with the discussion.

"I think we have enough of a plan. Expectin' surprise is a bit much, as I reckon they're scrying" he says with a heavy sigh. "Somethin' we should have done"

He turns to Thordek and nods to him.

"It's time we be going. We'll try to come up the center and sweep away the opposition. The rest not in command positions, disrupt the mages and help out how ye can. The Blood Company's swordsmen and a few of their Slaads should be able to deal with them" he says and throws his hands up.

"I think what he's trying to say is all the rest of ye go out ahead and swing for their head, leaving you heavily outnumbered and well, we'll try to get to ye" Buna says and laughs sardonically.

"Always the optmist..." Carmard says dryly, his arms crossed.

"You two make quite the couple. Maybe ye should try it?" Martak chimes in with an easy smile.

Both Carmard and Buna give him a silent scowl, standing side by side. He only laughs and heads back to the encampment to make final preparations, having passed of the golem control rods. Arum and Arman are busily learning how to use their new golems.

An hour later....

Standing outside the Godsmen gatehouse, the assembled dwarven and mercenary group stands outside in formation, waiting for deployment.

[ArmanMadero]

Arman listened to the whole talks and at the end everyone seemed satisfied with everything.

Handling the golem was easier than he thought they would, and he soon had the knack of it.

Soon everything was getting ready to happen, and he wondered if they would all live to see Faerun again...

I know, not one of my super long posts.... been kind of busy the last few weeks and i think things will turn into normal soon enough, then i can start writing my super posts again. lol

[Tharar_Greenleaf]

{{Haven't posted much on account of being too busy, but I'm still here. Still alive and reading through the posts waiting for the action to begin.))

[mshady]

OOC: Hey everyone, once again its been a really busy week for me and going away this weekend, as of tonight. Getting ready for that + a new gf has kept me happy, but busy. I'll write up what's next on my laptop this weekend and post Sunday night I suppose.

Sorry for the delays. I really appreciate the patience. If nothing else, I try to keep the posting steady.

Glad you're still here btw, Tharar! I might have something in mind for you :)

[shaddy_24]

Magnum

While Magnum hadn't added much to the strategy discussion, he was still as prepared as he could be for the upcoming battle. Looking over the forces he would be commanding and mentally tallying up the enemies that were supposed to oppose him, he mulled over movement orders and general battle strategy. Then he cracked a grin. This battle was going to be one to remember.

[Strangie]

Wyatt stands at the ready, likely with Sable, light mace in one hand and buckler in the other. It looked almost silly when compared to the other fighters who fought with a weapon + shield style, as if he were a miniature version of them.

He waited to be moved out, and glanced about at his other comrades. He mutters a quiet prayer for himself and his friends that they get to travel the open road once again, making a couple of gestures with his hands that appear to be Shaundakul prayers to those who are familiar with such things, and then looks up again toward the gatehouse.

"'dis is gonna be messy..."

[mshady]

Accompanied by a pair of massive blue slaads, the assault force lead by Carmard prepared for battle. He is accompanied by the entire group of the vital Arcanii, half of the Levtokuld and a dozen of the deadly arbalesters. Sable and Wyatt accompanied them as well, ready to worry the enemy spell casters as best they can. Johannes and Yennifer has already left, for locations unknown, several minutes beforehand.

The rest of the dwarven infantry, mercenaries and a token force of Godsmen waited in formation, ready for the assault. They stand by the gatehouse held by the Godsmen in their square formations. The dwarves and Godsmen stand in silence; the Blood Company mercenaries are anything but that. Hextros and several of his lieutenants move up and down their lines rallying them from battle, while the alien looking Volkros looks on silently.

Thordek stands at the head of a contingent of 25 Forgemark Legionnaires, set to lead the way into the battle ahead. Carmard and Thordek look across the area towards each other and the Arcanii signals Thordek he is ready to begin. He in turn signals Buna to begin and she looks up at the slaad and says something to it, than points at the wall and smacks the slaad on the rump. It snarls and barks something the other slaad and the two throw both of their hands forward and create a vortex of red, vibrating energy that tears open the wall, creating a shimmering passage in the wall. It takes a moment for the passage to stabilize before the slaads signal the spell is ready. The area shudders from the powerful magic and the wall creaks from the sudden change in its structure. While the spell could create a passage through the walls, load bearing was still a matter of gravity and engineering. With that accomplished, Carmard is the first to step through the magically rendered portal carved in the massively thick wall.

Several minutes pass by before there is a cry from atop the Godsmen controlled Gate House. A surly guardsmen in leather with a hefty maul on his shoulder yells down at the gathered soldiers below.

"Hey! We've got something starting over there! Lots of lights and fire. All one sided. Here comes the charge..." the hefty man yells. He waits for a minute before he says something again.

"There be the spot light! They got it! Throw open the gate, boys! Put yer backs into it!" he yells. Below him, gangs of men and women begin to spin the wheels to drive the gears and throw open the gates. Rarely opened, as the smaller doors within the gates were normally enough for access, the hinges scream in protest and they can barely budge the gates. Suddenly the hinges burst open, sending a spray of rust and bits of metal and the gates roll open.

Thordek's detachment of 40 Legionnaires all have a clear view of a field of view of a hundred foot long tunnel with debris strewn about, wreckage of golems and battering rams. Several areas of it have been torn up with what looks like a volcano. Slagged stone covers swaths of the tunnel; evidence of the power wielded by Barauk. Further evidence are dozens and dozens of Godsmen soldiers thrown about and quite, quite dead. Beyond them lays a field of caltrops, hard to see individually but easy enough to spot as there is a field of 30 - 40 feet of them laying in front of the enemy gate house. Above those caltrops are several cargo nets full of considerable weight.

What to do?

[Gorgondantess]

Johannes reappears behind Carmard and the Forgemarks, flanked by Martauk and Yennifer. He wears a bit of a smile on his face, though remains reserved, arms crossed; and when the action gets started up, he fades into invisibility and follows along.

[mshady]

With the gates thrown open, Thordek and his legionnaires have a grim view of what lays ahead. If there was a valley of death, they were looking down it. To call it a ray of hope would be far too cliché, but it certainly was the signal they had been looking for. From the description given by Sable and Wyatt, there would be a hell of a fight and punching through the rallying enemy forces would be a bloody experience. What was worse was that their foes had the numbers to both out flank them and attack them in waves if they were not able to achieve a breakout and in short order. The prospect of facing a full circle of angry wizards between the waves was going to be equally challenging. Large numbers of archers or crossbowmen would be a problem as well.

Several different standards could be borne by the dwarves, either ancient artifacts or ones newly created by the Patriarchate. The ancient ones could date back as Deep Shanatar, relics carried by the Jilkers through the ages and beyond prized. None of those were here this day. The most powerful standard was borne by an impressively armored dwarf and it provided a powerful umbrella of protection against arrows and bolts and proper protections to cover his lack of a shield. As the standard bearer for the entire command, he would accompany Thordek. The legionnaire's own standard is an impressive standard that made them all feel stronger in the face of the enemy and in their own eyes. It was a subtle but powerful kind of magic. While no Arcanii accompanied the fierce Legionnaires, but the Levtokuld were often filling that gap while the Arcanii served in more support position in a battle, typically. Such was the case today.

"Aye, that be the signal alright!" the standard bearer next to Thordek says. He grins at Thordek, eager to begin the battle. His long gray beard hands in several long braids, covered in golden rings and he must be twice Thordek's age. While Thordek did not know the dwarf personally, he knew he was one of remarkable reputation and was known as Hruntgar. He thumps the massive standard, covered in golden chains and bearing the emblem of Moradin and the Patriarchate. It jingles as the enchanted chains sway back and forth. "Time to send in the Godsmen, aye?"

Accepting a nod from Thordek, Hruntgar raises the standard high and waves it back and forth to signal the Godsmen to begin their part of the attack plan. "Nasty look'n trap. Let's see what they can do fer it!"

It takes a minute before anything happens, but the Godsmen's horns respond and they march ahead of the waiting Legionnaires. The Demios is now present with his five apprentices and they stand in front of the Legionnaires. Hands raised high, they begin quick and powerful enchantments and each casts a powerful spell to ruin enchantments. White and blue globes of light form in front of them and after a moment, each projects the sphere of light outwards towards the net. Each impacts with a blinding strobe of white light and the sizzling of powerful magic unwinding several spells laid over the net. The area bursts with the light of ruined dweomers before cooling.

"Now the webs!" the Demios commands his wizards. Each casts a webbing spell in turn around the net, followed by a second spell read from scrolls that provides a second net underneath them.

"Lay your stone path through the caltrop fields now, and lead your march into the mouth of hell" the Demios smiles triumphantly. "We'll be behind you and try to deal with their own mages as best we can, but our purpose be the Artifact"

[mshady]

With the cargo nets thoroughly webbed by the Godsmen now, they stand aside and open the way for Thordek to lead the charge into the foundry. The dwarves around him tense and ones who have not already drop the protective visors on their helmets down and prepare for the charge.
Cries of "For Moradin!" or "For Clangeddin!" rumble through the dwarven ranks. Without any action of his own, the hardened dwarven troopers begin rallying themselves with thunderous cheers. Horns are blown, drums are beaten and shields pounded with weapons. Four dwarves by Thordek raise Hruntgar and the commander's standard high on their shields. He faces the rest of the dwarves and waves that standard for all to see. Looking behind him, Thordek can see a long line of dwarves behind him and his heart swells with pride at the sight of them all. He wondered how many would still be alive in a few hours. The cleric of Moradin attached to Thordek's group would be a busy healer shortly.

Down the tunnel, the two blue slaads appear and through another one of their spells by the gate house at the other end. The two slaads both quickly find the chain wrapped around a massive wheel. Unable to master that concept of a mechanical advantage, they tear the wheel from the stonework and pull hard on the chain and begin to drag the battered doors open with a creak and a squeal.

Holding the wand containing the Wall of Stone spells in his hand, Thordek waves it over his head like a baton and orders the march. The legionnaires and the units behind him react quickly and the dwarves walk in a tight formation down the tunnel. Thordek fervently hopes the Arcanii can stop the enemy Godsmen from throwing a fireball or lightning bolt, or worse, down the tunnel while they are so tightly packed in, but there is nothing to be done for it at the moment but close the gap between them and the enemy.

At the edge of the caltrops, Thordek orders the halt and looks in awe at the thousand of caltrops spread over the area. Fine wire is connected to many of the caltrops and some of them even start to roll him, jostling or cutting the delicate wires as they pass.
So those two weren't mad when they said they saw jumping caltrops! Thordek thinks.
He holds out the wand and utters the command words for the wand.

"Halaur Sonn!" he cries out, calling out literally for a "gift of stone" in dwarven. The wand vibrates with energy in his hand as he points it ahead. Having never used such a wand before, he wonders for a brief moment if he might drop the wall on himself as he pointed it so close. His question is answered a moment later as the stone suddenly appears in front of him. It emerges from a cloud of suddenly appearing blue smoke and thumps on to the floor, squashing the caltrops below. It sits almost evenly on the ground.

"Halaur Sonn!" Thordek says and once again, another stone wall appears exactly where he intended it, creating a seamless transition to the next step. Twice more and the 40 feet between where they stand and the gate, which has just yawned open to reveal a fearsome scene ahead of him.

Thordek and every other dwarf sighs with at the sight of a shimmering wall of energy set in front of them. The Arcanii had managed to pull off one of their powerful circles and used battlefield magic to lay down an elemental protection down that would absorb the effects of fireballs and the like to allow the dwarves a chance to establish a toe hold in the foundry. It also prevented the Arcanii from bombarding the enemy with their own far ranging magic, but their role was first to be the magic against magic of their enemies and allow dwarven force of arms to carry the day.

Rings of soldiers are forming up beyond that shimmering barrier. Anything that would step inside that barrier would be fair game for any spells the Arcanii and Levtokuld could get off. Most are clearly militia, but others look like professional soldiers in heavy armor and an array of weapons. Some have sword and shield; others have great swords. In equipment at least, they looked the equal of anything the dwarves had and better armored than the legionnaires, which were more mobile and more offensive, but effectively medium infantry.

[mshady]

Sable and Wyatt can now access the gangways above the foundry used to access the smoke stacks, storage and generally allow management to observe the foundry from on high. There are a few structures on the gang ways that look like guard shacks and offices carved into the walls that overlook the foundry. In both cases, they look abandoned.

Johannes, along with Yennifer and Arcanii Murtak are now free to depart as well, either going up or down.

The following party members are in a command position and subject to what I'll be calling DragonHammer Rules (D&D/Warhammer Hybrid) rules.

Thordek Turron
Nalrak Ironfist
Magnum Rurikson
Hjalmar Crownshield (NPC pending the return of Great Skelandro soon!)

The rest can go wherever they feel they are needed and will be using normal D&D rules like any other combat. This includes:

Kelith Firestorn
Grathalmor Ironfist
Arumfaerwed + Iron Golem Nuts
Arman Madero + Iron Golem Boltz

Jeth Harefoot kind of wandered off in Sigil.

You four may want to figure out an objective or maybe Thordek can give you one. Monster swatting? Clear a trouble area? The golems are pretty insane

Map is pending! I'll update unit numbers and what the commanders are commanding. Lot of detail work with this... For right now, assume you're in the tunnel still.

[mshady]

Command Distribution

Thordek - Center

2 x 40 Forgemark Legionnaires
2 x 12 Levtokuld
5 x Arcanii
1 x Flame Cannon

Magnum - Right

10 x Forgemark Arbalesters
20 x Iron Order
30 x Barakbarr Lineholders – Pike
8 x Minotaurs
5 x Dragon Tongues

Nalrak - Left

10 x Forgemark Arbalesters
20 x Iron Order
30 x Barakbarr Lineholders – Pike
8 x Minotaurs
5 x Dragon Tongues

Hjalmar

12 x Knights of Moradin

[mshady]

Turn 1

Movement: Thordek moves the forty Legionnaires in his formation, fully half of the vaunted dwarven warriors, into the foundry. None of the enemy move beyond the Arcanii's elemental wall at this time.

Magic Phase: None

Shooting: There are two mechanical clanks and before Thordek's brain can register that familiar sound, two ballista bolts come flying at them in the tunnel. The familiar balls of energy from a magic missile spell streak out from the gate house above to intercept the ballista bolts. If a caster could react quickly enough, a magic missile spell was excellent against heavy and siege weapons as it always hit its target but had a depressingly short range in this context. Wands of magic missiles in the hands of even a dabbler in the arcane arts could be a significant defense. One of the two bolts are swatted down by the magic missiles, turning it into a spray of fragments. The second bolt passes under the gate house and into the tunnel before the spell can destroy them. It spears one of the legionnaire's broad shields and dumps the dwarf on to the ground. Thordek's heart skips a beat and he wonders if the dwarf was slain, but the fellow curses and scrambles to his feet unscathed. He falls out of the front rank to pull the heavy bolt out that was fouling his shield.

One bolt intercepted on a roll of 5 by the Arcanii. The dwarven 5+ ward save against ranged weapons due to their battle standard fails on a roll of 2. The Legionnaire makes his armor save with a roll of 6.

Thordek breathes a sigh of relief that they may not have to fight their way out after all as his own legionnaires clear the tunnel and step into the foundry. That relief is short lived as a hail of arrows greet them. Dozens of arrows stab downward at the dwarves, whistling down at them with little enough warning. The faint globe of energy around the dwarves flares as fully half of the arrows are turned to ash by the power of their battle standard, but that still left 25 arrows. They fall among the heavily armored dwarves....

Ward Save: 1. 50 arrows shot. 5+ ward save v. ranged from the Master Rune of Grungi and 25 destroyed.
2. To Hit: 17 of 25 arrows hit the Legionnaires at S3.
3. To Wound: Strength (S) 3 v. Toughness (T) 4 - 17 hits cause 3 wounds.
4. Armor Save - Legionnaire's are 3+ AS. Roll of 6, 3 and 5.
5. Result: 1 dead

The arrows pelt the group of 40 Legionnaires, but while some are wounded by the falling arrows, none penetrate their enchanted armor enough to fell any of them. The attacks from the enemies short bows do little more than offend the dwarves. Short bows are a poor weapon against an armored foe and the dwarves shrug them off.

From barricades around discarded machinery and golem parts inside the arcanii's elemental barrier, more metallic clicks can be heard and stubby crossbow bolts stab at the dwarves from well over a hundred feet away. Twenty bolts come flying at the dwarves.

1. Ward Save from the Master Rune of Grungi standard 5+: 1,1,1,3,1,6,3,1,4,5,2,6,4,5,4,2,3,2,5,4.
5 of 20 bolts destroyed in strobes of fire and ash by the power of the standard.
2. To Hit - Enemy Ballistic Skill 4, hits on 3+. 3,6,1,1,6,2,3,4,6,5,3,3,2,6,4. 11 of 15 bolts hit.
3. To Wound - S4 v. T4 - Wounds on 4+: Roll of 1,1,2,5,3,1,5,2,4,4,6. 5 of 11 hits wound.
4. Armor Save - Legionnaires are a 4+ AS (-1 AS due to enemy strength): 2,6,6,3,2

This time, two dwarves fall from the bombardment of the enemy crossbows from behind the distant cover. They had the weapons and position to whittle away at the legionnaire's numbers given enough time. Hopefully the cleric would be able to save the two fallen dwarves.

The 10 arbalesters high in the gate house fire at the enemy behind the cover of the barricades, with little hope of success but with nothing else to shoot at, they do so anyways.

Dwarven Arbalesters x 10:

To Hit: Dwarven Arbalesters have a ballistic skill (BS) of 4. Due to hard cover and range, they hit on a 6+.
Roll: 4,1,1,1,2,6,2,2,4,6. There are two hits!
To Wound: Human toughness of 3 v. S4 bolts - wound on a 3+ Roll of 6,5 - 2 wounds!
Armor Save: None - the bolts hit too hard and ignore light armor.

The dwarven arbalesters kill 2 enemies.

10 x Levtokuld

The ten Levtokuld get in on the act as well, using their own lighter crossbows and conserving their bolts of fire.
To Hit: Levtokuld BS4. Hits on a 6+ due to hard cover and range. Rolls a 5,5,1,5,2,1,5,2,6,6. Two hits!
To Wound: Human toughness 3 v. S4. Hits on 3+. Rolls 6,1 and wounds 1.
Armor Save: None - The bolts hit too hard and ignore light armor.

The Levtokuld kill 1 enemy.

[I]17/20 Godsmen crossbowmen remain.

Close Combat Phase: None

Cleric Phase: The cleric of Moradin rolls a 1d6 to see how many casualties he can get to in this round. Rolls a 1 on a 1d6 and saves one dwarf.

Note: Clerics of different faiths or higher levels will have different combat healing rolls, ranging from 1d6+2 (cleric of berronar) to 1d6-2 (cleric of clangeddin).

39/40 Legionnaires survive the tornado of arrows and bolts in reply.

[Strangie]

"Awright, we're doin' dis, Sabe, here and now. Whad'ya say we go give 'dose mages what-for before we get into any MORE trouble, eh?" Wyatt says, as he surveys the gangways and looks for a good spot to try and get close to the mages without exposing himself or his team too much to enemy sight or attack.

(Gonna let Sable head up our little espionage group I think, she's got a better head for this sort of thing than I do. And more fancy gear, too. :smalltongue:)

[Werewhale]

Nalrak Ironfist - Left Wing

Nalrak was barely holding his nerves in check as he watched Thordek summon the Stone Walls and advance towards the enemy. He had seen his fair share of battle, but his duty had been simply to protect Carmard and to lend support where he found the opportunity. Now, however, he was responsible for a full wing of the battle. But he trusted Carmard's confidence in him, and indeed a part of him was eager to show his worth as a commander. As Thordek's battalion came under missile attack, he briefly considered casting Entropic Shield, as he had done in the fight against Harold, but decided that the dazzling spell would mark him too obviously as an important target. No, for the moment he would trust in his armor and shield for the moment.

He turned to his soldiers and addressed them: "The time has come for you to fulfill duty to god and lord! Let's show these heathens what true warriors are!" Nalrak banged his hammer on his shield twice, then bellowed "Left wing! Advance!" and led them onward. He would lead them from the front to the enemy, and as much as he'd like to be the war hero and fight in the front with them, pragmatism dictated that a living commander was superior to a dead one. Once battle was joined, he would slowly fall back and support his soldiers from the rear.

[Gorgondantess]

Joh moves about the battlefield, invisibly, flanked by Yennifer and Martauk. He remains on the sidelines, staying well away from any arrows, and reamins inactive, waiting for the opportune moment to act.

[Tharar_Greenleaf]

Kelith
HP: 63/63
AC: 22

Not as heavily armored as the front-line dwarves, Kelith will wait near the back until it's safer to move forward.

[shaddy_24]

Magnum

Magnum moves forward with his unit, grinning fearsomely as the undead move towards them. As the squad of zombies slam into the unit of dwarves, he braces with the Iron Order to take the charge, and begins fighting back. "Come on! We're dwarves of the Patriarch, no mere mindless beasts like these are going to slow us down!"

Assuming this is still capable of happening after shooting phase.
3 attacks with I3, WS6 and S4.
To hit: [roll0], hit zombies on a 3+
To wound: [roll1] wound on a 4+
EDIT: well that didn't work out well at all.

Not sure how many Iron Order soldiers are currently in base to base with the enemy, but based on the map I'm guessing 3. Do we roll for them as well?

[thorgrim29]

Here they come boys, don't tire yourselves out on the fodder, the real fight is still to come.

Looking at the rushing mass of putrid flesh, Thordrek spots the black armored figure leading the zombies. He holds it's gaze and positions himself to meet it as the zombies charge. He points it out to the standard bearer and the dwarves next to him.
Keep the zombies off me, this one's mine

(declaring a duel on the death knight or whatever, sorry about the absence, only two exams (and two days) to go and I'll be able to resume posting as usual)

[Katasi]

Arum sends his golem to attack the nearest group of zombies.

[Strangie]

(Huh... I'm not sure what happened to Sable/Melody. In that case...)

Wyatt moves on with Sable, looking for a way to get the drop on the mages while the battle rages on, using the gangways to his advantage. "Heh, now 'dat everybody's distracted, let's go beat 'da crap outta someone who rightfully deserves it."

[mshady]

Sable and Wyatt

Sitting atop the gate house, Wyatt and Sable briefly reflect on the rapid carnage that had overtaken the confined area. The slaads had torn open the wall the powerful spells and almost 30 dwarves and the slaads poured in. It was over quickly enough after a lightning bolt mowed down most of the guards and the Levtokuld quickly dispatched the mage. Sending away the slaads, the group quickly signaled the rest of the forces. During that time, Wyatt and Sable searched the gang ways high over the foundry for which path to choose. Not surprisingly, Yennifer and Johannes went their separate ways, clamoring down a rope and on to the foundry floor. What was surprising was that Arcanii Murtak joined them. It earned him scowls from Carmard and some colorful words from Buna, but the finely dress Arcanii tipped his hat to them with a smile and disappeared down the rope. With other matters at hand, Carmard let the matter go for now.

Sable doubted that was going to be the end of that particular story, however.

It made her catch her breath a moment as she watched Thordek’s dwarves lead the way into the foundry, only to be met by a maelstrom of arrows. The two scouts watched to see what would happen, but the tough dwarves and their thick armor shrugged off the attack. The crossbowmen on their flank were more effective, dropping at least one of the dwarves. Neither one of the scouts had been with the Patriarchate long enough to appreciate what special soldiers the Forgemark were. Each one represented many years of training and thousands of gold in equipment, mainly mithril. She thought about dealing with those crossbowmen herself, but decided it might spare her allies the effect of the crossbows. While she figured Wyatt and her could deal with them if needed, the time it took was prohibitive. From what she had saw before, the rogue Godsmen Demios and her apprentices had been carefully working to prepare their own circle to release the stoneburner. Under pressure, she expected them to try for a rush job. That could be something vastly dangerous for all involved. Only the Arcanii seemed to know how to bring it to heel, and Carmard had tried and failed once at that already…

What other surprises do they have in store for us? Could they try to use the some ducts and passages we were considering to outflank us or move troops around? Certainly how it was done in Waterdeep…

She expected the dwarves to be met by powerful spells as well, but the Arcanii worked quickly together in a kind of group magic to lay down a powerful spell that formed an opaque wall. The intent was clear enough; shield the dwarves from hostile magic long enough for them to deploy their forces. It was certainly like nothing she had ever seen before and she wondered how long it would be before it was dispelled by the enemy.

Waving goodbye to a preoccupied Carmard and Buna and only receiving a nod in acknowledgement. The dwarves are busy collaborating on another powerful spell as she scurries up a broken and twisted ladder, glancing at the dead mage with his moon-and-star robes; he never had a chance to get out of his chair. She recalled the slaad’s disappointment on not being able to reach him before Sable and Wyatt plugged the mage with two arrows…

Swinging out towards the wall and grasping the ladder with one hand, she only gained purchase due to her spider slippers. Holding firm, she let Wyatt use her as leverage and the Halfling scurried past her. They climbed the twisted ladder another 30 feet before reaching the metal and wood plank gang ways.

Why the Godsmen even bothered with them was answered quickly enough. Block-and-tackle arrangements festooned with chains and hard points for squat cranes dotted the area to move heavy equipment and load vast quantities of smith work. Looking down, the area was full of metal pipes. Likely they did brisk business in that area in a major city.

Below and ahead of them, the air exploded with a curtain of flame as the Arcanii’s next spell was finally unleashed. Over a hundred of the undead soldiers had pushed through that opaque barrier before the fires came, and the flames nearly bisected the largest formation of zombies. She hoped the Arcanii’s spells bought them enough time to get most of their forces into the foundry.

A lot was riding on her and the flanking maneuver by Hextros’s elite swordsmen. The power of the enemy Demios was apparently considerable, and having shared a city with the powerful Khelben Blackstaff, she knew what havoc one man with powerful spells could wreck on closely packed soldiers. She would have to give the other woman something more pressing to worry about.

Of course, how much could I really bother the Blackstaff? Doubtful she is in his league, but I better be careful…

Moving forward and to the left, she soon found herself much closer to the enemy crossbowmen.

“What do you think, Wyatt? Shoot a few from behind? Or just blanket them with darkness and move on?” Sable asks quietly.

[mshady]

Johannes, Yennifer and Murtak

With a thump of his boots and soft jingle of his spurs, Murtak lands on the hard stone floor with a wide grin. Clearly he is relishing this act of rebellion, even if his success here would have to be significant to cover the debt he had just incurred. The good thing about working with these stodgy religionists and grim soldiers was their own leader, the vaunted Patriarch, was himself once an adventurer with an independent streak. Discipline was extremely important, but Arcanii were beyond mere dwarven discipline. Murtak felt they were here to sieze the initiative and that was just what he was going to do.

“You ready?” Yennifer asks.
“It’s your crazy plan, are you?” Murtak grins in reply. Yennifer merely smiles in reply to that.

“Well, we won’t be doing any good against those undead. Can’t scare off the mindless… We waiting here and see what develops or you want to work the edges and roll up behind some of them? Looks like a lot of cover on either side. If we left now, we’d be beyond the fires and such. They’ll either be sending folks ‘round or wait’n for us I figure. Could camp out and scare off some flankers. What do ye think, Yenny?”

“Yenny?” the Sensate asks crossly.
“Aye, what do ye think Yenny?”
“I think you should stop calling me “Yenny” or I’ll shave your beard off” she scowls.

Murtak smirks at that and looks at Johannes appraisingly.

“So is that what happened to his beard? If so, ye have my surrender!” he says with a smile. Yennifer crosses her arms and scowls at him, but balances it with a smile of her own.

“What do ye think, John? Which way? Your friends went left. We could get their support, but also have to deal with the attention they draw too…”

[Strangie]

Wyatt shakes his head, and he replies, also quietly, "If we get into a tangle with those crossbowmen, I think it'll take too long. Throw some Darkness at 'em, they won't know where it came from and none of 'em will be able to attack our guys, rather than a few. They didn't want us killin' the grunts too much I thought, anyway..."

[mshady]

Godsmen side of turn 1 coming tomorrow or wednesday...

[mshady]

In the Tunnel – Grathalmor, Kelith, Arum and Arman

Just inside the tunnel, the quartet of adventurers stand ready to enter the battle field. For Grathalmor, in his freshly repaired adamantine breastplate taken from the fallen Black Orc, it feels like the second time this day he has entered an arena. The mages would be his charge this day, instead of Carmard. Arman, particularly.

Same job, different wizard, he grumbles. At least he was not stuck with that foul little gnome. Where did they find him, anyways? Grathalmor peers at an intent looking Arum, mounted atop his barded badger.

As the gates come open and the Legionnaires walk out, he sees them immediately greeted by what must be over a hundred arrows and bolts. They land amongst the dwarves with little effect, mainly banging off of their armor or causing only shallow wounds. The umbrella like protection of their battle standard was a powerful shield, turning dozens of arrows to ash with each volley. The Arcanii started laying down their familiar battlefield spells to allow them all time to deploy. As it stands now, the dwarves would all be deploying before any of the mercenaries took the field, not including the flanking unit of swordsmen.

As Thordek’s block of Legionnaires cleared the tunnel, the more heavily armored Iron Order soldiers with their massive axes and hammers stomped out next, forming the center of the flanks and protecting both Nalrak and Thordek. They were met by a horde of undead, lead by an armored figure with eyes glowing a sickly, intense, green. By the looks of it, the three groups of dwarves were making short work of the zombies but in turn those zombies were blocking any other forces from exiting the tunnel. This was not the time to delay getting to the field, but at least someone may be able to deal with the archers before the more vulnerable, lighter troops took the field. Hopefully that was a job for the more mobile mercenaries, or Hjalmar and his terrifying Knights of Moradin.

Seeing the melee beginning and knowing the Iron Golems were largely invulnerable to any harm, Arman and Arum send them out of the tunnel towards the undead horde to batter them into submission more quickly.

In the meantime, the group stayed put. Content to be a reserve against any summoned monsters and no orders from Thordek, they hold.

[Melody]

Well we don't want them seeing where the darkness came from, so I have an idea for that.

Sable reaches into her belt and pulls out an opaque vial containing small round seeds. She whispers to Wyatt to explain as she works.

This is a poison that doesn't cause much more than stomach problems. Normally I'd throw it in a soup pot to cause some havoc. It's a good way to distract some guards or servants and nobody is ever the wiser. The glass is dark because they loose potency in light. However, in this case..

Sable trails off as she opens the vial and dumps all of the seeds except for one into a little money pouch. Reaching into the vial with one finger she smears a bit of tar onto the seed and concentrates, whispering under her breath. She quickly stoppers the vial.

You see.. the seed carries the spell. The vial will contain the spell because it is opaque and because it is fragile it will shatter upon impact letting the spell free and they won't see a big glob of darkness coming at them from our direction.

Sable grins at Wyatt and offers him the vial. Do you want to do the honors or shall I?

[Strangie]

"Don't mind if I do, heh heh..." Wyatt says as he graciously takes the vial, twirling it between his fingers before quickly whipping the vial in the guards' direction, aiming for it to land between them and cover them all in the area of Darkness, to hamper their vision and let the poison disable them. Being a halfling, he has a unique, sidearm throw, as if he were skipping a rock of some kind.

"'Dat oughta do it." He ducks down and gets on the move again. "Let's roll before anybody sees us."

I think the intention here was to throw it, anyway... if it wasn't, feel free to let me know/slap me upside the head.

[Gorgondantess]

Joh replies facetiously, "Aye, it's been years and I've only managed to grow back these few sparse whiskers. I've never felt like a man since..." He rubs his stubble, and wiping away an invisible tear, and segues into a chuckle. "Nahhh, we should head around. The less attention we draw to ourselves, the better- besides, we might end up at least disturbing some of our own. Hell, they may even turn against us. Let's play it safe and go for a flank."

[mshady]

Going away this weekend, next post on Sunday night. Sorry guys! Heck of a week! Thorgrim - we need to get together for the duel... Sunday night?

[thorgrim29]

Sure. If my computer doesn't die before that....

[ArmanMadero]

Arman got the hang of the controls quickly and soon the golem was going with them to the gates. It was a strange contraption being of forged metal, but seemingly alive due to the elemental within. Arman wasn’t that fond of using an elemental in this fashion, but he could see the points of using one in a Golem. The Golem itself was a monster

More to come...

M - Is there a currant map available that shows my position and the position of my Golem?

[mshady]

OOC Note: I am redoing turn 2. I made some real errors in how I wrote that one up and it will change the results significantly. Should see it tonight.

Jana - The map available is the only map. It's on a prior post. I believe you are in the tunnel and marked as "AM" on the map. For right now, just going to move your golem forward, as with Arum.

[thorgrim29]

Hey, sorry about sunday, I was pretty beat and turned in early.

[mshady]

The Great Correction - I missed a lot of things in the combat resolution here and am redoing the round. I tried combining the action of the round and such, but it did not work very well. It was also pretty inaccurate! Apologies in advance.

Turn 2 - Patriarchate Phase

The zombies were already beyond the wall, waiting for an attack out of the tunnels. I went ahead and wrote out this turn incorrectly, and it significantly effects how things went. So... I'll be redoing it.

Movement Phase:

1. Thordek and his Legionnaires move ahead 6 inches from the gate house.
2. Nalrak (Left Flank) and 20 x Iron Order soldiers move up 6 inches, standing 3 inches from the gate.
3. Magnum (Right Flank) moves up 6 inches, standing 3 inches from the gate.

Kelith holds position
Arman holds position
Arum holds position
Nuts moves up 8 spaces.
Boltz moves up 8 spaces.
Grathalmor holds position

Patriarchate Magic Phase:

1. Arcanii: "Can't see them crossbow shooters from up here!" Buna yells down on to the battle field, hoping someone can hear them. "Firewall coming to cut'em off!" Carmard announces. The Arcanii begin chanting together, focusing on the senior Arcanii.

A subtle vortex of energy swirls around the senior Arcanii as the others focus their energies on him. The energy lifts him off his feet slightly before he unleashed a powerful spell. Moments later, a wall of roiling flame roars to life and stands suspended in the air, towering 40 feet in the air and spanning much of the length of the foundry. It is far larger than any other individual spell, having combined all the energy of the 5 Arcanii. The spell lands in front of the elemental barrier the Arcanii had just cast, which placed it squarely on the rear of the largest group of the zombies attacking Thordek's group. Twenty of the zombies are incinerated then and there by the spell.

2. Levtokuld on the Gatehouse: Given the ineffectiveness of their prior crossbow volley against their foes, they switch targets to the group of attacking zombies heading for Thordek's unit. Each Levtokuld conjures a bolt of fire and sends it hurdling into the mass of zombies. Most of the bolts fall short or cause little effect, but two of the bolts hit their targeted zombies hard. One zombie goes down....

Patriarchate Shooting Phase:

Dwarven Arbalesters x 10

Firing from their lower vantage point, the more precise dwarven arbalesters with their finer weapons fire at the opposing crossbowmen, who sit behind their barricades. The range is long and the shots are difficult. The Arbalesters fire ten shots and are able to fire off a second volley, thanks to the advanced design of their crossbows. Only 3 of the bolts strike their foes out of 20 shots fired. All of the wounds are painful but superficial. No additional crossbowmen fall.

Levtokuld x 10

Having only felled one zombie with their magic, the tightly packed Levtokuld go ahead and fire their repeating crossbows into the mass of enemies. The shots range over the heads of the sturdy legionnaires. Of the 20 shots fired in the two volleys, 6 of the zombies are hit and one goes down. The rest are not hit in the head or their helmets keep whatever fell energy animates them alive.

Legionnaires 38/40

The Legionnaires may not be the most heavily armored, but they made up for it by being heavily armed and flexible. Having had enough of this nonsense, the front rank of legionnaires unlimbered their repeating crossbows, take a knee and aimed at the approach zombies. Twenty bolts, two from each crossbow, stab into the nearby enemy formation. With that rank having fired, the rank behind them fire as well. With their weapons cleared, they take a knee as well and allow the next rank to fire until all 38 dwarves have fired.
A total of 40 bolts pummel the zombies, but only two fall from the hail of bolts. Being undead and much less susceptible to penetrating damage, only a head shot or one that destroys a knee really seems to knock out a zombie. The dwarves in the front reach for their pistols and prepare to be engaged by the zombies.

Close Combat Phase

No units in contact for melee.

Turn 2 - Apostate Godsmen Phase

1. Apostate Godsmen Movement Phase

Much of the activities of the traitorous Godsmen forces are obscured by the massive wall of flames and elemental barrier laid down by the Patriarchate’s Arcanii wizards. The sounds of it are obscured by the roaring flames, the growing cacophony of the battle and the clatter of the lumbering Iron Golem constructs.

1. Zombie Group 1 x 57/80 moves to contact with Thordek's command group
2. Zombie Group 2 x 40 moves to contact with Magnum's command group
3. Zombie Group 3 x 40 moves to contact with Nalrak's command group.
4. Archer Group 1 x 30 no movement - hard cover
5. Archer Group 2 x 30 no movement - hard cover
6. Crossbowmen Group 1 x 17 - hard cover

1. Two teams of 10 crossbowmen apiece appear on the right and left flank along the gangways, near the edge of the range of their own crossbows and out of the range of the dwarven arbalesters. With a height advantage like this, they would be able to rain bolts down into the advancing dwarven forces. The increased vulnerability would likely make up the decreased accuracy of the attacks. They are also behind cover granted by debris positioned in the area ahead of the attack.

2. On the left flank, Sable and Wyatt spot a single humanoid figure moving along the edges. They are further to the left and forward of the crossbow team that just arrived and took cover. The figure carries a narrow looking crossbow with a tube mounted atop it, like a spy glass of some sort. It ducks down behind cover and disappears from sight.

3. On the right flank, Johannes notices five figures with satchels and torches jog ahead and take cover. They look to be the size of children. Based on their general direction, they seem to be angling towards the main fight.

Apostate Godsmen Magic Phase

1. Far behind the barrier erected by the Arcanii, the rogue Godsmen work together and summon forth a towering fire elemental. It is difficult to see through the barrier for the dwarves, but is clear something large and enveloped in a brilliant light has arrived as it stands taller than the wall of fire the Arcanii recently cast. It immediately is compelled by the Demios to surge forward. The elemental breaches the walls of spells, buckling the elemental barrier and merely stepping through the wall of flame.

A Huge Fire Elemental has entered the battle field.

2. The enemy Demios and his apprentices try to focus their energies and cast dispelling magic to tear down the elemental barrier. Brilliant white light flares against the barrier and the spell wall buckles, but does not fail. The rogue Godsmen are unable to tear down the spell wall, being unable to coordinate their efforts enough.

The enemy dispel roll has failed. They rolled seven dice and rolled two 1s, automatically failing.

Apostate Godsmen Shooting Phase:

DM Note: For "Dragonhammer" rules, I am allowing you to shoot into a melee... if you don't care about hitting your own forces or it is worth the risk. In this case, the apostate Godsmen rebels do not.

Godsmen Crossbowmen 17/20: From behind the barricades where the crossbowmen are under cover, winches wind from behind cover. They pop up from behind the barricades at irregular intervals and their crossbows thump. The bolts stab out, not at Thordek's Legionnaires, but at the heavily armored Iron Order soldiers under Nalrak's command. The powerful battle standard held aloft by Hruntgar still provides its protective umbrella, extending it over the units next to him. 17 armor piercing bolts zip towards the dwarves, several of which are turned to ash by the protection of the banner, but again most punch through. They fall amongst the heavily armored dwarves, but their armor largely protects them. One dwarf goes down, but the unit's cleric saves him.

Godsmen Archers x 60: With their line of sight blocked by the wall of fire, they try to loft the arrows over it at about the same arc they used last time. The arrows whistle through the air and fall amongst the dwarves once again, but with much less accuracy.

18 of the arrows are turned to ash by the hard working magic of the powerful standard, lighting the air in pops of flame as the protective ward labors to protect its bearers. The remaining 42 fall amongst the Legionnaires with surprising accuracy...

16 of 42 arrows find their marks amongst the dwarves. Of the arrows that missed, 7 of them land amongst the zombies but fell none of them. 6 of those arrows hit the dwarves solidly enough to cause a wound. The plunging arrows hit the dwarves in weak points in their armor, and 3 are critically wounded. The cleric of Moradin with the unit rushes to them as quickly as he can, but can only save 2 of the 3 fallen dwarves. He shakes his head as he looks at the last dwarf, who is quite dead. An arrow stabbed through his visor into his eye when he looked up apparently... 37/40 Legionnaires remain.

Close Combat:

Thordek's Command - 37/40 Legionnaires: Stand and Shoot - The zombies shamble forward towards the legionnaires. The wicked presence of the Death Knight at the head of the zombies is palpable. A wave of fear washes over the legionnaires, but the tough dwarven soldiers shake off the effect. They reply with a barrage of dwarven pistols. The front two ranks of the legionnaires fire. Pistols flash and crack, sending hot lead flying outwards and filling the air with white smoke. Against a normal foe, the pistol fire might have wrecked a terrible toll but against the undead only one of the zombies is cut down.

Holstering their pistols after little effect, the legionnaires ready their urgroshes. The quicker legionnaires hit seven of the zombies and swat down 5 of the undead. Levtokuld Thordek meets the enemy Death Knight and the two engage in a separate duel. Hruntgar, the Battle Standard bearer, kills two of the zombies as well. In reply, the 3 remaining zombies in the battle line flail at the dwarves to no effect whatsoever.

Having hewn through so many of the zombies already, Hruntgar urges the legionnaires forward. With a roar they strike down an additional 7 zombies and further decimate their enemy. Only 41/80 zombies remain.

Results of the duel between Thordek and the Death Knight will be posted shortly.

Nalrak’s Command - 20/20 Iron Order Soldiers

In Nalrak’s command, the hefty Iron Order soldiers take six hits from the zombies and this time two of the Iron Order soldiers are battered to the ground. Their cleric rushes to area and drags them away, managing to save both fallen dwarves from death, barely. <I> Cleric roll 2 on a d6 </I>

With two of their own knocked out of line, the rest let out a thunderous roar and in a synchronized attack they chop down four of the zombies in a spray of gore. These remnants of the last attack against the apostate Godsmen are knocked down quickly. Nalrak himself swings his massive maul left and right and destroys three of the zombies himself.

Four more zombies are taken down as the victorious dwarves swing their axes once again at the confused zombies. A total of 12 zombies have been slain and 28/40 zombies remain.

Magnum’s Iron Order soldiers 20/20

Equipped with an axe and shield, Magnum’s quicker than the zombies or the other soldiers under his command. He chops down three of the four zombies he attacks, his axe killing all he hits thanks to the extra damage caused by the flaming axe. Most importantly, he reduces the numbers who can even attack his soldiers by dispatching them before they can attack.
The zombies flail away at the tough dwarven soldiers, and five of them are hit with four of them hit hard enough to kill them sans their thick armor. One of the dwarves is knocked out of line, but a cleric manages to get their immediately and save the fallen dwarf. <i> Cleric roll of 1 on a 1d6 </I>

The dwarves respond by kill four more of the undead, smashing them into the ground with complete disdain for both the undead and the unworthy challenge they represent. Victorious, the dwarves continue their attack and kill 7 more zombies. A total of 15 total zombies have been slain, leaving 25/40 zombies remaining.

http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/525/foundrymapturn2.jpg

http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/525/foundrymapturn2.th.jpg (http://img401.imageshack.us/i/foundrymapturn2.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

Note on the Map: Click the thumb nail and THAN zoom. If you can't see it, let me know.

[Strangie]

Wyatt takes note of the person with the scoped crossbow, raising his eyebrows. He gestures at him, watching where he goes.

"Sable, we got a problem," Wyatt whispers. "'dat 'dere guy with the crossbow looks like a sniper. We gotta take him out before he snipes out someone important. Whaddya say?"

[mshady]

A note on combat - you can use magic and melee in the same round in this format. Turns are longer. For example, a cleric could use turning and melee the same round.

For Nalrak, Thordek and Magnum, if you want to deploy another unit from your list, let me know what is coming out at this point.

Thordek - I need to get with you on what spells the Arcanii have available but you can order them to cast something specific and assume they can do most tricks you would expect from mid level wizards. That includes moving them, the Levtokuld or others out of the gate house. You could put both units of arbalesters (dwarven crossbowmen) up there, but would have to move out the Levtokuld.

Sable and Wyatt are represented in green on the map now and are to the left. They are represented as S and W.

Johannes, Murtak and Yennifer are on the right and in purple. They are coded as M Y and J. Sable and Wyatt can sneak for 4, normal movement for 8 or run for 12. Same for Johannes and Yennifer. Murtak and any other dwarf PC can move at 3/6/9 on this map.

The Iron Golems, Nutz and Boltz, have moved out. Arman, Arum, Kelith and Grathalmor are still in the tunnel. If you'd like to move out, it'll be reflected on the map but handled in DnD terms with the exception of how I listed movement. With a fire elemental on the field, Kelith would be particularly effective against it. Hint, hint!

A note on controlling you golem: You do need to be within 60 feet of it to command it verbally. This would work in an anti-magic field. Using the rods, that gives you 120 feet, but they are magic.

[Melody]

Sable nods at Wyatt. "Right behind you."

[shaddy_24]

Magnum

"Keep up the pressure!" Magnum bellows as he pushes forward, tearing into the zombies in front of him. The zombies needed to fall quickly, before the crossbowmen or the fire elemental were given a chance to deal damage to the dwarves. "Bring some of the Arbalester's forward, we need cover from the crossbows on the flanks!"

Move the right flank arbalesters forward, moving where Bolts is now if the golem moves, otherwise just to the right of the golem. Can't shoot because of Move or Shoot.

Magnum and the Iron Order's attacks on the zombies.
3 attacks for Magnum, 4 from the Iron order in the first rank, and 5 from the second if Urgrosh's count as spears.
Magnum:
to hit: WS6 vs. WS3, 3+ [roll0] 1 and 2 hit
I'll roll to wound after I get a clarification.

Iron Order first rank: WS4 vs. WS3, 3+ [roll1] 1,3 and 4 hit
to wound: S4 vs. T4, 4+ [roll2] 3 and 4 wound
second rank: 3+ [roll3] 2-5 hit
to wound: 4+ [roll4] 2 wounds

Quick clarification on Magnum's axe: does the +1 to hit mean I add 1 to each To Hit roll? And does the 1d3 wounds mean that I roll 1d3 for each hit, roll To Wound for each wound rolled, then the opponant makes 1 armour save for each wound?

[mshady]

Turn 2 - Rd 1 of Duel - Thordek v. Death Knight

Death Knight wins Initiative.

Death Knight

In the midst of the zombies that have been raised from the animated remains of the Godsmen, friend or foe, stands an all together different sort of foe. A powerfully built figure in thick armor leads the zombies in their attack from atop a steed not unfamiliar to Thordek. It rides upon a Nightmare, not unlike the ones the lieutenants of the Blood Company ride. A razor tipped lance is lowered and aimed right at Thordek as it trots forward. At a distance, it appeared be a dangerous combatant but humanoid. In death, this powerful and valiant warrior had been raised for another purpose. The armor is covered in burns and the fine filigree and heraldry has been scorched away. The face inside the open faced helmet is burned beyond recognition. Two sickly green candles of energy burn in its eye sockets. They blaze with intent; intent towards Thordek. It's gaze leaves Thordek unnerved at the wickedness that had been wrought against this soul; either by the Apostate Godsmen or the traitor's soul in the stoneburner, Bauruk. Somehow that seemed more likely, for his was a powerful soul with a powerful hatred. If he fell today, Thordek himself could end up like this creature, a death sword or death knight. Or worse.

Stepping out in front of his Legionnaires, Thordek prepares to meet the enemy's charge. He draws his pistol and aims not at the death knight but at the slightly more vulnerable nightmare it rode. The pistol cracks and sends a mini ball right at the nightmare. The round hits the fiendish mount squarely in the breast plate, punching through the armor and right into the mount's flesh. The hit staggers the nightmare for a moment and Thordek hoped against hope that the already lucky pistol shot would have killed the nightmare, but it was not to be.

Thordek's pistol does 8 pts of damage to the Nightmare as a Stand and Shoot response.

Thordek only has enough time to stuff the pistol back in his belt loop and reach for his black adamantine waraxe before his foe's lance strikes home. He tries to angle his magnificent shield so that it would deflect the lance and leave little of his body exposed. The force of the impact, the sheer weight and energy behind the charge, is enough to drive the lance past Thordek's shield and the lance hits him in the shoulder. It rends his armor apart, but the armor itself stops Thordek from being speared all the way through.

Thordek takes 12 pts of damage from the enemy lance.

The lance snaps and is tossed aside by the knight. Instead, he reaches for a nasty looking mace hanging from his side and prepares to rain down blow after blow on Thordek.

[Strangie]

Wyatt decides to sneak his way over to the sniper, moving ahead of Sable. "Can't let 'em see us, lest we get taken out, and 'den we'll have major problems. I want you to shoot him first before I club him over the head, 'kay?" Wyatt whispers to Sable. He ducks down low and uses the darkness and his small stature to his advantage, his unusual foot speed making it easier for him to get from one place to another.

[shaddy_24]

Magnum

Checking for wounds, re-rolling for unit.
Magnum's to wound: S4 vs. T4-1, 3+ [roll0] 2 wounds, -1 AS

Iron Order soldiers with Great Weapons, 4 in front rank
to hit: WS5 vs. WS 3, 3+ [roll1] 1 hit
to wound: S6 vs. T4, 2+ [roll2] 1 wound, -2 AS

[thorgrim29]

Grimacing, Thordrek dives under the nightmare and unleashes a mighty, magically guided blow on it's underside.

Casting quick strike and power attacking the nightmare for 7

[roll0]
[roll1]

[Melody]

As soon as Sable is in a position to see the sniper she begins to take careful aim, giving Wyatt time to move into position. Hopefully if all went well he would be in line for attack just before her arrow hit him. If the sniper saw Wyatt before he was ready she'd just hit him a little earlier.

[Tharar_Greenleaf]

Kelith
HP: 63/63
AC: 22

Kelith will fight back the urge to move towards the fire elemental knowing it was still too close to the enemy archers and would leave him open to their fire.

In preparation for the fight to come, he casts Shield of Faith on himself.

{{Casting Shield of Faith}}

[Werewhale]

Nalrak Ironfist

As Nalrak savagely punched another zombie in the face with his armoured gauntlet, he idly remarked that this was a lot easier than he expected. His earlier plan of retreating to the rear was scrapped in favour of pounding on undead flesh with glee. In fact, the zombies were little more than nuisances to the hardened dwarves, and he wondered why they were being used so wastefully. But as the crossbow bolts rained down he started to realize their purpose, and suddenly getting rid of these undead as quickly as possible became an urgent goal.

"Quickly now! Destroy them! Don't let them bog us down!"

Grasping his golden symbol of Dumathoin, he summoned the power of his patron god to banish the undead.

"I am a servant of the Silent Keeper, bane of undeath! Return to the grave where ye belong, undead abominations!"

(Turn Undead: [roll0] +2 levels (Improved Turning and gold Holy Symbol))

[Gorgondantess]

Johannes turns back to Yennifer, with the slightest smirk on his face.
"Yennifer, sweetie, would you mind giving me a crash course in ignan? I'd like to have a chat with the pillar of flame over yonder."
Letting her cast the spell on him, he takes some steps forwards- just enough to be audible- from Yennifer and Martauk, and cups his hands around his mouth.
"Oi! Flameboy! I understand you like incinerating primers, but would ya kindly turn your flames to specifically the undead ones?"
Despite the apparent absurdity of Johannes' request, none can deny the power behind his words.
Suggestion, DC 18, at the fire elemental. Speaking in ignan.

[mshady]

Thordek's Duel

Having been driven backwards by the lance he had taken to the shoulder and thanking the smiths who had wrought his armor, Thordek clears his head. He had hardly gotten away clean; blood flowed down his armor from the shallow puncture and his arm hurt fiercely, but at least it was his shield arm.

He bites back a curse at finding himself going toe to toe with this undead knight and his infernal steed. It was a tall order, but no more so than that orc shaman he figured. Casting a quick spell on his axe, he let his mind guide his next blow. As the needle like fangs of the nightmare snap at him, he turns his back to it and it bites on nothing but metal. A moment later, he snaps his own body forward and tries to hew the nightmare's neck in two. The axe bites deeply into the fell creatures neck. The keen adamantine blade cuts through the armor with little effort and black blood immediately flows from the wound in a stream. It hisses when it strikes the stone floor. Having already been shot, the beast staggers from the latest wound. It paws the ground and its infernal red eyes blaze with deadly focus on Thordek.

24/45 HP Nightmare
56/68 HP Thordek

The nightmare's rage boils and from its nostrils a black smoke billows into the area, far out of proportion to what its lung capacity would seem. It washes over not only Thordek but the Legionnaires as well, and many of them start gagging from the effects of it. Thordek's own long experience, and closing his eyes at the right moment of course, allow him to continue unabated. For now, at any rate. The nightmare rises in its back legs and kicks at Thordek with its right and left hooves. The first blow thumps Thordek right in the chest, but he catches the next kick and another bite with his shield. He even manages to leave the nightmare's nose bloodied as he shoves back with his shield.

From atop the nightmare, the knight himself attacks as well. Turning his mount nearly broadside in flash, the heavy mace in its hand flies downward at Thordek. The blow raps Thordek's helmet hard, but nearly as hard as he could have been hit. The second attack misses badly.

Thordek takes a 6 point hit from the knight's heavy mace

[mshady]

OOC - Gone for the weekend, again.... The group of four in the tunnel, if you want to do something, please get a post in by sunday. Thanks!

[thorgrim29]

Thordrek shakes his head clear after the blow and, keeping his cool, casts another spell. Crackling with electricity, the axe lashes out again at the nightmare.

Arcane channeling shocking grasp for +3 to hit and +5d6 electricity damage

to hit: [roll0]

Damage [roll1]
Spell damage [roll2]

[mshady]

Turn 3 - Patriarchate Phase

Movement Phase:

1. Thordek and his Legionnaires remain engaged.
2. Nalrak (Left Flank) and his Iron Order soldiers remain engaged.
3. Magnum (Right Flank) and his Iron Order soldiers remain engaged.
4. Magnum orders Arbalester Group 2 forward.
6. Johannes, Yennifer and Murtak continue their flank, with Johannes and Yennifer outdistancing Murtak.
7. Nutz moves into combat.
8. Boltz moves into combat.
9. Nega Silvermace and her Valkyries move forward
10. Kelith holds position
11. Arman holds position
12. Arum holds position
13. Grathalmor holds position

Patriarchate Magic Phase:

1. Arcanii: From atop the broken remnants of the gatehouse, Carmard places both hands on the stone crenellations and leans out to get a better perspective on the area. He looks around and sees the crossbowmen moving through the gangways. The arrival of the massive fire elemental quickly draws his attention.
"Well huh" Carmard says, a bit stupefied.
"Not respect'n the fire wall, eh Carmard?" the arcanii next to Carmard says, and chuckles grimly.
"Plan?" another asks.
"Plan? We get it closer and have the gnome and elf whittle it down. We be havin' a fire priest, aye? We need to worry 'bout them crossbowmen up top, but they're too far to the sides to see" Carmard grumbles. "Fine. Let's work that elemental over..." Carmard says.

A moment later, the five Arcanii begin a chant in unison and there is an explosion of blue light and dozens of blazing blue balls of magical light shoot from their position across the battlefield. Two dozen and one balls of light hammer into the elemental. The beast is staggered by the hammer blows of the barrage of magic missiles. Smoke trails from the elemental and it stumbles about like a drunkard having taken a blow. Globs of fiery liquid spill on the floor and as it moves, it leaves a trail of fire. However much punishment it had just taken

The five Arcanii hit the fire elemental with five magic missile spells and deal it two wounds

2. Johannes, Yennifer and Murtak: Recognizing the threat posed by the fire elemental to the soldiers and the arcanii, if it got that far, the trio decided to take a bit of a detour. The trio share a mischievous smile and a shrug. With a quick spell, Yennifer casts a spell on Johannes and gives him the enlightenment of language. Taking a step forward, Johannes winks at Yennifer and addresses the fire elemental in its native, and rarely, language; Ignan. The creature stops in its tracks and seems to look around before lurching forward again. Having decided it would delight in burning dead flesh more than the living, it alters its course....

The Fire Elemental rolls a 6 on a d20 +7 will for a 13 will save v. DC18 Suggestion. It inexplicably follows Johannes suggestion

3. Nalrak: Being a cleric of the dwarven God of the Dead and the Keeper of Secrets has its advantages when actually fighting the undead. Nalrak grasps his finely wrought gold and silver holy symbol, which he wears on a torque of silvery mitral chain, and calls ""I am a servant of the Silent Keeper, bane of undeath! Return to the grave where ye belong, undead abominations!"

The holy symbol comes alive and golden light rolls out from him, washing over friend and foe alike. It is like thunder without sound, blowing beards, dusts and clothing for a moment.

Rolls 2d6 (12) + Cleric Level (7) + Extra Turning (1) + Gold Holy Symbol (1) + Charisma (3) = 24. As zombies technically have 2 hit dice and it takes double HD to destroy an undead, 6 zombies are felled

The six zombies closest to Nalrak are driven back from the powerful dwarven cleric. They moan as the power of the holy blessing turns all six of them into torches of golden fire. In moments, they drop to their knees and are turned to ash by all consuming holy fires. Twelve more are driven back from the line of battle. The dwarves under Nalrak’s command look to him in awe of the effect their leader had just had. Even Nalrak was a bit impressed with the effect.

3. Levtokuld Group 1 (10/10): Deciding once again they have too poor a shot on the crossbowmen and their bolts of fire would no impact on the fire elemental, they withhold their magic.

4. Sable and Wyatt: Using her own magic abilities, Sable casts a darkness spell on a tiny seed of poison, for lack of anything else available. To give it weight to make the distance, she places it carefully back in the bottle...

Arumfaerwed the Gnome: The little gnome snaps the reins on his badger to stop it for a moment. The animal snarls in protest and gets another snap of the reins for his trouble, as well as a healthy dose of vulgar promises on exactly what Arum would do with its hide. Having asserted control once again, the surly gnome tucks away a mithril flask into his ratty robes rests his small lance in its harness and unlimbers his finely made crossbow. He gives it a once over and draws back a bolt and wonders exactly who to put it in.

“Who’s it gonna be… who’s it gonna be…” Arum contemplates as he looks nefariously at the fire elemental and the crossbowmen behind their barricades. That was when he spied the crossbowmen on his flank run along the cat walks high above him.

“There’s my bitch!” the smiles with delight at the ten soldiers on the fragile cat walk. He briefly weighs the merits of the spells available to him, before settling on the new lightning bolt spell he had learned. Blast globes would be a waste here; his ears were still blistered from the words Carmard had to say about the last time he let one of those off the chain…

Cackling malevolently, Arum focuses his mind and draws upon the Weave itself. It felt different in every Plane, but it was always there. Arum clutches is right hand into a fist and watches it glow blue, than crackles with powerful electricity. He didn’t know much about the energy, but he did know metal conducted it.

Arum threw his fist towards where the cat walk was secured to the wall, high, high above. A long bolt of lightning leaps from his hands with a crack and connects exactly where he intended. White-blue bolts leap and spark along the length of the cat walk and the soldiers standing upon it holler and scream in pain or surprise. There is also a cloud of masonry from where the lightning bolt struck. The metal and men scream as the cat walk comes crashing down. Men topple off it as one end of the cat walk is blown from its moorings and it falls to the ground. Murtak, the Arcanii, has to jump out of the way of the cat walk. All ten of the crossbow have been killed in the fall…
“Damn, crazy gnome!” Murtak roars in surprise.


Patriarchate Shooting Phase:

Sable: Taking the bottle, she throws it as far as she can across the foundry floor from the gangways high above. The jar strikes the ground and shatters, filling the area in front of the crossbowmen with a darkness spell. It doesn't quite block their line of sight, but it certainly makes an accurate shot much harder!

Arbalesters Group 1 (10/10): Without line of sight on even the elemental, the arbalesters hold their fire this round.

Arbalesters Group 2 (10/10): With their crossbows already loaded, these newly arrived dwarves take quick shots at the towering elemental. While they are only able to get off one shot, the shots themselves take a toll. Most of the bolts hit the elemental outright; it’s hard to miss a 30 ft tall target after all. The bolts that miss keep flying and strike the roaring wall of flame erected by the Arcanii and are turned to ash. The bolts that hit the elemental have a similar fate and most that hit fall to ground and smolder. Two of the bolts hit the elemental hard enough to do real damage with their metal shod tips. Now streams of fiery liquid trail from the elemental’s torso and leg; if that slowed it down it was hard to tell. Nonetheless, a cheer goes up from the arbalesters and they begin winding their crossbows up for the next attack. That they stand within the wild elemental’s running distance is not lost on the dwarves, however.

Levtokuld Group 1 (10/10): As with the arbalesters sharing their position, the Levtokuld have no target either. At least one they can engage without hitting their own forces.

Close Combat Phase

Nalrak’s Iron Order Infantry (20/20): The remaining zombies stumble forward as their nearest brethren are driven back or immolated in holy fire. Only 7 of them are in direct contact with the Iron Order soldiers. Three of them manage to land solid blows, but only one blow is solid enough to do any hard and the dwarf shrugs off the blow.

The dwarves immediately swing their lucernes down on the enemy and the hammer-headed pole arms crunch three of the zombies. The second rank thrusts the spear points forward and two of the five thrusting spear heads claim zombies as well. For his part, Nalrak swings his mighty hammer to and fro. He kills all three of the zombies that he strikes; in large part thanks to the flaming effect that was part of his Everfire forged fever iron weapon.

Six more zombies are cut down as the dwarves advance forward, swinging at the ineffectual zombies with abandon. Having already claimed several zombies, one soldier remarks “too easy” as he wipes blood off his armor.

Now that it was engaged, the Iron Golem known as Nutz swings into an attack. With smooth and deadly sweeps of its arm, which holds a massively bearded axe, it chops down two zombies.

Thordek’s Command 37/40 Legionnaires

The ten legionnaires that make up the front rank continue to hew their way through the block of zombies in front of them. The arrival of the fire elemental gives them new urgency, as well as the plight of their own commander. They take four of the zombies down, taking far less of a toll than they expected. The zombies fail to take down any of the legionnaires this time. Now, the dwarves surge forward, however, and kill another 8 in the chaos. For the first time in the engagement, the dwarves now have numbers of their undead foes.

Magnum’s Command 20/20 Iron Order Infantry

The dwarf cleric attacks first. Magnum swings Arctis with a fury. The Aurilite forged ice steel war axe traces white-blue lines through the air with each swing and each swing takes down a zombie. The four zombies close enough to take a swing at the dwarves do so, but their blows are shrugged off by the dwarves with a bang and a snarl. The front rank of the lucerne wielding dwarves smashes two of the zombies into the ground. The second rank, with their spear points, thrust forward and claims two more zombies.

Having arrived at the scene of battle, the Iron Golem named Boltz swings into action. Standing 12 feet high and weighing 3 tons, the golem is a devastating combatant. The nearest zombies flail at it harmlessly; they lacked the strength to even hurt the juggernaut. With two smooth motions, Boltz swings its thick, curved blade like a scythe and bisects two of the zombies. The two halves spill on to the ground and do not move.

On the opposite side, the fire elemental launches into a furious attack. Two zombies are beaten down and set afire by the creature and the elemental roar sounds like that of an inferno. No zombies remain close enough to attack the elemental, which is just as well as it would incinerate them if they tried.

Pressed on three sides and their formation becoming very disordered, five more zombies are beaten down by the victorious dwarves.

Nalrak’s Iron Order Infantry (20/20): The remaining zombies stumble forward as their nearest brethren are driven back or immolated in holy fire. Only 7 of them are in direct contact with the Iron Order soldiers. Three of them manage to land solid blows, but only one blow is solid enough to do any hard and the dwarf shrugs off the blow.

The dwarves immediately swing their lucernes down on the enemy and the hammer-headed pole arms crunch three of the zombies. The second rank thrusts the spear points forward and two of the five thrusting spear heads claim zombies as well. For his part, Nalrak swings his mighty hammer to and fro. He kills all three of the zombies that he strikes; in large part thanks to the flaming effect that was part of his Everfire forged fever iron weapon.

Six more zombies are cut down as the dwarves advance forward, swinging at the ineffectual zombies with abandon. Having already claimed several zombies, one soldier remarks “too easy” as he wipes blood off his armor.

Now that it was engaged, the Iron Golem known as Nutz swings into an attack. With smooth and deadly sweeps of its arm, which holds a massively bearded axe, it chops down two zombies. Its free hand drives downward and crushes another zombie with its iron fist, leaving a crater in the floor.

Thordek’s Command 37/40 Legionnaires

The ten legionnaires that make up the front rank continue to hew their way through the block of zombies in front of them. The arrival of the fire elemental gives them new urgency, as well as the plight of their own commander. They take four of the zombies down, taking far less of a toll than they expected. The zombies fail to take down any of the legionnaires this time. Now, the dwarves surge forward, however, and kill another 8 in the chaos. For the first time in the engagement, the dwarves now have numbers of their undead foes.

Magnum’s Command 20/20 Iron Order Infantry

The dwarf cleric attacks first. Magnum swings Arctis with a fury. The Aurilite forged ice steel war axe traces white-blue lines through the air with each swing and each swing takes down a zombie. The four zombies close enough to take a swing at the dwarves do so, but their blows are shrugged off by the dwarves with a bang and a snarl. The front rank of the lucerne wielding dwarves smashes two of the zombies into the ground. The second rank, with their spear points, thrust forward and claims two more zombies.

Having arrived at the scene of battle, the Iron Golem named Boltz swings into action. Standing 12 feet high and weighing 3 tons, the golem is a devastating combatant. The nearest zombies flail at it harmlessly; they lacked the strength to even hurt the juggernaut. With two smooth motions, Boltz swings its thick, curved blade like a scythe and bisects two of the zombies. The two halves spill on to the ground and do not move.

On the opposite side, the fire elemental launches into a furious attack. Three zombies are beaten down and set afire by the creature and the elemental roar sounds like that of an inferno. No zombies remain close enough to attack the elemental, which is just as well as it would incinerate them if they tried.

Pressed on three sides and their formation becoming very disordered, five more zombies are beaten down by the victorious dwarves.

Godsmen side and Thordek's duel continues tomorrow or the next day!

[mshady]

Round 2

Shrugging off the hit to his oft battered and repaired helmet, Thordek stoicilly continues the attack. Llood drips down the side of his head and his skull throbs from the latest wound.

He takes a step back and focuses his arcane powers and pushes them down through his arm and channels them into his fine adamantine axe, given to him by Tolrin Jilker. The beard and edge of the axe crackle to life with blue sparks and crawling electricity. This was one of his most powerful attacks, and while it would be useless against the undead knight atop the nightmare, it would be terribly effective against the nightmare.

Axe in had, Thordek rushes forward and bashes the shield into the armored flank of the nightmare and pushes it enough to rock the horse by driving his shoulder into the attack. It's a fient however, and as the nightmare stumbles, Thordek swings his axe at the fiendish beast.

He hits nothing but air, as the surprisingly lithe creature continues to move away from him, but not in a stumble.

A moment later, the nightmare wheels and kicks out with both powerful hind legs. Thordek is blasted backwards by the kick, his armor bent and marked with the fiery brand of a horse shoe.

Dwarf brands horse. Horse brands dwarf. Irony hurts... Thordek thinks, as he gasps for breath.

A moment later, the undead knight is upon him again in a flash. The mace whistles down at Thordek and only the dwarf's skilled shield work saves him from another wound. With two loud, successive bangs, he knocks aside the vicious downward swings from the mounted knight.

Not unlike giant fighting, but this opponent was far faster...

Thordek 48/68 HP
Nightmare - Wounded
Death Knight - Unwounded

[thorgrim29]

Never one to loose heart, especially in front of his men, Thordrek presses on the attack, repeating the strategy and hoping for a better result.

Durned horsey, stay in place so I can kill you

To hit: [roll0]
wound: [roll1]
spell [roll2]

[thorgrim29]

Revenge is sweet. That was a critical threath (32-13=19, keen axe ftw!!)

confirm: [roll0]
extra damage [roll1]

Edit: Well nevermind then.... But the normal attack should still do the trick

[mshady]

Undaunted, Thordek presses his attack once again. Repeating the same tactics, he had better luck this time. He gave the nightmare a hard thump and rocked it back, but instead of swinging immediately, he stepped forward and attacked the fiendish mount once again. Having missed last time, the numbing electrical power of his spell had remained with the axe, so he did not have to cast it again.

This time, Thordek swings a bit lower and more accurately. The waraxe digs deep into the nightmare's flesh and the electricity explodes out of the axe with enough power to jolt even Thordek. The nightmare convulses from the pain and lets out a horrifying wail of anguish that quickly turns to a wet gurgle. The mount topples to the ground and sends the death knight atop it crashing into the ground. A moment later, there is a rush of wind and the nightmare disappears in a cloud of black smoke.

Thordek swings at the fallen death knight, but to little effect. The knight twists in an almost unnatural way and the axe carooms off the finely wrought, if tarnished, armor.

Without a noise, the undead knight rises back to its feet. It does not so much get up as plant its feet and simply straighten its legs to bring it back to an upright position. Something like that would have been impossible for a living man, but the knight did it with ease.

Impressive though it was, Thordek chops downward at the knight as it is in mid motion. The knight swings its torso out of the way and the axe hits nothing but air; indeed it almost bit into the stone floor instead.

It drops the mace in its hand and smoothly unlimbers a six foot long greatsword with a gleaming edge. Whomever this knight was in life, he must have been a fearsome man as every movement is a precision drill. It holds the sword with a cold, respectful reverence. The blade is already spattered and stained with blood, likely from the very apostate Godsmen that had turned the knight into this abomination.

"Die with me!" it hisses, through bloodless lips. Its green eyes flicker swiftly as the knight draws upon the powerful necromancy that created it.

Thordek suddenly has a feeling that something profoundly... bad was about to happen.

[thorgrim29]

I'm good, but feel free to go ahead

Thordrek takes a look around

Looks like my boys are grinding yours into a fine paste, suppose I should get to it then. Dodge this

Thordrek takes a step back and, covering himself with his shield, conjures two bars of molten fire that he casts at his foe.

Casting scorching ray defensively

casting defensively: [roll]1d20+17[/COLOR]
To hit (ranged touch attacks)1 [roll]1d20+9[/COLOR]
To hit 2 [roll]1d20+9[/COLOR]

Damage 1: [roll]4d6[/COLOR]
Damage 2: [roll]4d6[/COLOR]

[thorgrim29]

Oops again (stupid 60 seconds rule)

Casting scorching ray defensively

casting defensively: 1d20+17
To hit (ranged touch attacks)1 1d20+9
To hit 2 1d20+9

Damage 1: 4d6
Damage 2: 4d6

[thorgrim29]

you're kidding right?

Casting scorching ray defensively

casting defensively: [roll0]
To hit (ranged touch attacks)1 [roll1]
To hit 2 [roll2]

Damage 1: [roll3]
Damage 2: [roll4]

[Chepe Nolon]

GET READY!!! With a shout Nega prepares her troops. "Valkyries Formation Shields and Maces Protective pattern." "Forward!!!" Nega in fast march moves towards Tordeks Troops. Valkyries spread out in a line with the shields and Maces in Shield barrier around the clerics in the middle. Nega herself contrates on getting Tordeks aid the valkyries will engage at the front of Tordeks troosp and fill the line While the shields protect the clerics witch will heal the wounded. Nega herself will lay on hands when she reaches him when she is within range on Tordek and then attack beside him.


That's all.

[Tharar_Greenleaf]

{{Waiting on the map; if the fire elemental is still too close to the hordes of archers Kelith isn't going to want to risk it.}}

[mshady]

Hey everyone - away for the weekend once again. Soo sorry for the delays here. I've been remiss with things. You'll have the next round posted sundy when I get home. I've had zero free time lately; its been a good thing but not for this game... Back on track shortly!

[Katasi]

Arum launches a fireball into the nearest group of crossbowmen.

[mshady]

Turn 4 - Apostate Godsmen Phase

Movement Phase:

1. On the right flank and left flank, two formations of Godsmen Foot Infantry start to move around the walls erected by the Arcanii. On each side, group of 50 Godsmen foot soldiers. These infantrymen are in a patchwork of armor and equipment; their only advantage the long spears they carry so they can fight in ranks. Both groups appear to be led by an armored figure.

2. The five small figures darting through the gangways make quick progress and settle down nearly overhead Nalrak's group of Iron Order soldiers.

3. The lone figure with the crossbow continues to stalk down the gangways until it rounds the corner and sees Wyatt moving along the gangways, mace in hand.

4. A man in multi-hued robes appears in the cat walks.
Godsmen Magic Phase:

1. Godsmen Wizards: Still faced with the twin walls erected by the Arcanii in their circle, the Godsmen once again try to take it down. Once again, the elemental wall pulses and strobes white and blue as it is bombarded. It shudders under the bombardment as the apprentices try to tear down the wall. Once again, it fails to lower the barrier cutting off the main enemy forces.

2. The Demios: With the failure of the apprentices, the Demios takes matters into his own hands now that he realizes it's unlikely the wall can be taken down by other means. She pulls out one of her highest cards.

The far wall is filled with the sound like that or an arcane tornado. Brilliant flashes, strobes and explosions of searing blue light fill the air. The power of the spell howls through the foundry like a banshee scream and the light is bright enough to make anyone looking at the spell avert their eyes. The two forces of magic seem to move against each other before there is the ear piercing scream not unlike metal being sheared apart.

Boom!

Thunder fills the room as the Arcanii's elemental wall is utterly destroyed by the Demios' spell. A ball of white light flashes over the area as the elemental wall is destroyed.

Carmard looks on and curses loudly at the sight of what had just happened.

"Disjunction spell!" he cries, as his hearing is restored. "Get all the beards we can forward now!" Carmard yells. Seeing Thordek heavily engaged, he resumes a command role for the moment.

3. Wizard: The wizard on the cat walks starts to launch into a spell of his own. A stinking cloud appears in the center of the formation of legionnaires. A cloud of noxious fumes appear over the dwarves, and they immediately start coughing and gagging from the fumes. The remaining zombies, however, are utterly unimpeded by it. 24 of the dwarves are suddenly incapacitated by the fumes...

4. Death Knight: The Knight draws the nearby light to itself, darkening the nearby area. The air suddenly becomes chilled, let causes everyone nearby to feel a tingling sensation. The knight glows with a sickly green energy and holds its fist aloft. All the while, it is chanting in an infernal language. A moment later, a tear appears in the air in the middle of the formation and the dwarves cry out in alarm. A howling sound, like hundreds of voices screaming in discordant pain, can be heard and seconds later a blast of green fire fills the air. Screams of fear turn to pain as the fire scours the legionnaires.

22 of the legionnaires are under the radius of the fires unleashed by the death knight, and even the natural dwarven resistance to magic does little to save them. Nine of the dwarves are able to use their shields to protect them from the worst of the fires. Six of them are immolated by the fires anyways. Seven more legionnaires are slain by the death knights fires, for a total of 13 slain dwarves.

As the inferno subsides, the knight cackles victoriously at the number of dwarves it had just slain. Its green eyes blaze with energy and excitement now. It speaks with a hiss and a wheeze, in short, clipped sentences between breathes it only needed to take to make sound.

“I am Ser Zubin. Now Knight of Bauruk. Once Knight of the Factol” the knight hisses. “Know the futility of your challenge. As did I. Run now. You shall be spared servitude to him, dwarfs.”

As the dwarves before him writhe in the flames and the air is filled with the scent of burning flesh, the knight does not gloat or mock Thordek now. Instead, it lowers its long sword with a mechanical precision and points it at Thordek’s chest. It than moves into a guarding stance with an easy, practiced movement.

Shooting Phase:

Sniper: Lurking through the catwalks, the sniper sees Wyatt and Sable. It immediately swings its crossbow towards Wyatt and shoots. The first shot goes wide, but the second shot is perfect. It is not accurate enough to strike Wyatt down, but the bolt spears Wyatt in the leg and does 11 hp damage. It peers from under its hooded cloak and pulls out a thin, straight bladed sword with a hiss.

Wyatt has taken a hit from the crossbow bolt, the sniper having rolled a natural 20.

Crossbow Group 1 (17/20): Behind the barricades, the crossbowmen fire at Nalrak's group once again. Half are burned to ash before they even strike the dwarves; the rest fail to hit or penetrate their armor.

Gangways Crossbow Group 1 (10/10): From high above, they fire into Nalrak's group as well. Four of the bolts are turned to ash by the powerful banner. Three of them hit, and two enough to wound them. This time, one of the soldiers are dropped but the cleric reaches him in time to save him.

<I>Nalrak + Iron Order: Cleric roll of 3. </I>

<I> Magnum’s + Legionnaires: Cleric roll of 4 </I>

Godsmen Archers (60/60): Once again the archers volley arrows over the barrier and at the gagging Forgemark soldiers. 15 of the arrows are destroyed by the hardworking battle standard. 17 of the arrows fall amongst the Forgemark soldiers, with the rest falling among the zombies and felling one of them. Two of the legionnaires are dropped by the arrows, but the cleric was able to save them both.

<I> Magnum + Iron Order: Cleric roll of 4 </I>

Kender Grenadiers (5/5): Holding black ceramic grenades with a fuze and filled with an alchemical concoction, the kender mercenaries gleefully. One of the grenades is turned to ash by the protective banner still held aloft by Hruntgar. The other 4 grenades fall amongst the Iron Order troops under Nalrak’s command. The jars of alchemical fire burst upon impact and pour flaming gel all over the dwarves. Several of them are splashed with it, but their well made armor keeps out most of it. Three of the dwarves go do from the flames, however. The cleric is able to save two of the dwarves, but the third one is too far gone. The Iron Order troops have lost their first soldier.

Close Combat Phase:

Nalrak’s Command Iron Order (19/20): Whittling down the enemy zombies, Nalrak’s troops brace for the next wave of ineffectual attacks. With their cleric taxed to the limit, there was little protection now besides their armor. Fortunately, none of the zombies are able to batter the dwarves to the ground. In reply, the dwarves swing their lucernes down at the zombies in a fury. Two of the zombies are felled by the hammers. The spear points of the second rank puts down an additional zombie. Nalrak’s own hammer takes down an additional two zombies himself.

With the loses taken from the fire bombs, the engagement is much closer than it looked. The dwarves win the press and drive forward once again, however. Five more of the zombies are pounded into the ground. Only 9 of the zombies remain, now.

Magnum’s Command Iron Order (20/20): The quicker dwarf continues his furious attack against the undead. He quickly chops down three of the zombies with little effort. Knowing their role now, he knows he must eliminate as many as he can before the wizards drop a gas cloud on his own unit. With their heavy armor, running was not much of an option.

The Iron Order soldiers under his command ready for the next attack. With only four zombies close enough to attack, they let the zombies flail against their armor with little more than annoyance. Once again, the zombies fail to bring down a single Order soldier. The heavy dwarven infantry responds by swinging their pole arm hammers down hard on the zombies. They smash 4 of the zombies into the ground with their hammers; a perfect attack. They second rank thrusts ahead, but their claim no more of the zombies; stabbing the undead is less effective than other means after all. For all their ferocity, the dwarves next push only claims one additional zombie. The sounds of zombies moaning in hunger still fills the foundry, but there are far, far fewer than their once were.

Thordek’s Command – Forgemark Legionnaires (24/40): Having already taken enough losses to send a lesser force into a rout, the gagging dwarves step over the bodies of their fallen friends and hold what is left of their formation. Anger fueled the dwarves now, and they flew into their attacks at the urging of standard bearer. Four of the zombies are chopped down by the Legionnaires. Hruntgar, the battle standard bearer, cuts down two more the zombies with his axe.

Only two zombies are in a position to counter attack at this point, but neither of them can pull down one of the stalwart dwarves.

This time, the death knight urges his zombies forward to meet the dwarves. Neither side can gain an advantage this time.

“Come on boys!” Hruntgar urges, waving the battle standard high over head. “Chop’em down and quicker we get to the big fella!”

Huge Fire Elemental: Under the power of Johannes’ suggestion, the fire elemental continues to swing away at the zombies. Two of the zombies go down again, stumbling and falling to the ground as they are incinerated by the elemental’s fires. No zombies are close enough to counter attack.

Nutz the Iron Golem: With two sweeps of the axe-handed golem, two more zombies are felled with minimal effort on the part of the golem. It makes no noise other than a swish-vroom with every sweep of its arms. No zombies are close enough to counter attack.

Boltz the Iron Golem: The iron golem continues its slow but steady attack. Two swings with its cleaver like sword fell two more zombies, without much effort at all. No zombies are close enough to counter attack.

Edit to Magic Phase: Arum used a lightning bolt, not a fireball. Wrote it up this weekend and missed his post.

Arum: The little gnome snaps the reins on his badger to stop it for a moment. The animal snarls in protest and gets another snap of the reins for his trouble, as well as a healthy dose of vulgar promises on exactly what Arum would do with its hide. Having asserted control once again, the surly gnome tucks away a mithril flask into his ratty robes rests his small lance in its harness and unlimbers his finely made crossbow. He gives it a once over and draws back a bolt and wonders exactly who to put it in.

“Who’s it gonna be… who’s it gonna be…” Arum contemplates as he looks nefariously at the fire elemental and the crossbowmen behind their barricades. That was when he spied the crossbowmen on his flank run along the cat walks high above him.

“There’s my bitch!” the smiles with delight at the ten soldiers on the fragile cat walk. He briefly weighs the merits of the spells available to him, before settling on the new lightning bolt spell he had learned. Blast globes would be a waste here; his ears were still blistered from the words Carmard had to say about the last time he let one of those off the chain…

Cackling malevolently, Arum focuses his mind and draws upon the Weave itself. It felt different in every Plane, but it was always there. Arum clutches is right hand into a fist and watches it glow blue, than crackles with powerful electricity. He didn’t know much about the energy, but he did know metal conducted it.

Arum threw his fist towards where the cat walk was secured to the wall, high, high above. A long bolt of lightning leaps from his hands with a crack and connects exactly where he intended. White-blue bolts leap and spark along the length of the cat walk and the soldiers standing upon it holler and scream in pain or surprise. There is also a cloud of masonry from where the lightning bolt struck. The metal and men scream as the cat walk comes crashing down. Men topple off it as one end of the cat walk is blown from its moorings and it falls to the ground. Murtak, the Arcanii, has to jump out of the way of the cat walk. All ten of the crossbow have been killed in the fall…

“Damn, crazy gnome!” Murtak roars in surprise.

http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/4879/foundrymapturn3.th.jpg (http://img85.imageshack.us/i/foundrymapturn3.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

[Strangie]

Wyatt gasps in surprise, dropping to one knee and planting his hand down on the floor, glaring up at the sniper.

"Gah! I'm hit! Sable, shoot him now! Shoot his stupid face right now! The bolt? Ah, it's not too bad, but 'dere's nobody to heal me out here..."

The halfling regains his composure, pushing off his feet and runs onward. He tears the bolt out from his leg, small thin crossbow bolts being much easier to remove than arrows or other projectiles as they are linear and don't have a head like arrows do. He downs a potion on the way, using the hand his buckler is strapped to grab at his satchel to do so. He moves as quickly as he can to close in with the sniper and attack with his mace, deadly acid dripping from it.

(You said that turns are technically longer in game time on this sort of map, so I hope all of this is okay.

Cure Light Wounds: [roll0])

[Melody]

Sable smiles slightly and does as requested. Mumbling to herself she brushes her thumb across a wooden pin fastened to her belt before reaching over her shoulder into her quiver and pulling out an arrow. Unable to judge the weakest point in her target's armor due to the cloak she does indeed aim for the sniper's stupid face or whatever passes for one beneath the cowl. Sighting down the shaft of the arrow she releases in a fluid motion, already reaching for another arrow as the first leaves the bow.

Casting true strike and shooting the sniper in his stupid face.

[Chepe Nolon]

Nega watches the battlefield and sees the flank on the right being threatened. "Maces and Shields!! Right Flank!. Valkyries Prepare to rush!! Heal and engage!!"
Nega up her pace and moves towards Tordek 'Lay on hands when in reach then engage the darkknight with a smite evil.

[shaddy_24]

Magnum

Magnum glances at the fire elemental out of the corner of his eye as he prepares to continue the fight. He wasn't sure if he'd be able to break off before it smashed into the Iron Order's flank. He breaks off for a moment to cast a spell before tearing back into the zombies.

Depending on the effects of the spells, I've got a few choices. If I can somehow effect the entire squad, I'll cast protection from energy against fire. If that won't work, I'll use Bull's Strength or Divine Power. What would be the Dragonhammer effect of each of those spells?

For now rolling attacks for the next round for the Iron Order.
First Rank: To Hit, WS5 vs. WS3 [roll0]
To Wound: S6 vs. T4 [roll1]

Second Rank: To Hit, WS5 vs. WS3 [roll2]
To Wound: S6 vs. T4 [roll3]

I'm not sure what the response will be when the zombies are wiped. Will the dwarves, elemental and golem all over run into each other, or does the fight simply peter out and everyone stands still?

[thorgrim29]

Thodrek had the time to cover his face with his shield as the fire rolls over his unit, killing almost half of them, while he escapes singed. Defiant, he glares at the death knight.

Resistant to magic eh? I guess I'll have to do this the other way

He casts true strike (again) and hits it.
Power attack for 7

to hit [roll0]
damage: [roll1]

You don't know dwarves very well do you? We don't give up, and we always get even

edit: and of course I get twos, damn roller giving me good rolls when I don't need them and horrible ones when I need them

[Werewhale]

Nalrak Ironfist

Nalrak is stupefied for a moment by the bang of the Disjunction spell, but the faint sound of Carmard's voice, carried over the din of battle, wakes him up. He bashes a zombie with his shield to get some peace for a moment and turns to the rear.

"Pikemen will move up! Join the frontline! Move it! Arbalesters, take care of those grenadiers!" he bellows, then turns to the zombies that are left before him. This was taking too long. Again, he grasped his golden holy symbol, but he had little time or will to find something creative to say, so he simply growled at the undead:

"Get out of my way."

(Turn Undead: [roll0] +2 levels from Improved Turning and gold Holy Symbol) ((Nevermind the roll, forgot that we have different rules for this now))

With most or all of the zombies gone now, Nalrak calls for his company to advance.

[Tharar_Greenleaf]

Kelith
HP: 63/63
AC: 25 (+3 from SoF)

Seeing the Fire Elementals attention drawn to the line of dwarves up ahead, Kelith will move forward towards it trying to keep it's body between him and the opposing forces archers. During the move up he'll cast a spell asking for a blessing from Kossuth in the fight to come.

{{Casting Divine Favor}}

Spells Cast
1st-2

{{Sorry about the delay, found out recently I was accepted to graduate school (in Japan) for this fall and was busy with form filling-out. Which means more sporadic posting by me, followed by me having to drop out in mid/late August because I really can't commit to continuing after I fly overseas for graduate school. Just wanted to give a heads up and tell you not to wait around for me to post if I'm taking my time.}}

[mshady]

Had computer issues, post on Sunday night after I return from another trip.

Congrats on grad school in Japan, Tharar! We'll miss ya

[mshady]

Bull Strength would increase your Strength by 1. Divine Power would increase S and WS. Sorry! Going to assume you cast bull strength for now.


Magnum

Magnum glances at the fire elemental out of the corner of his eye as he prepares to continue the fight. He wasn't sure if he'd be able to break off before it smashed into the Iron Order's flank. He breaks off for a moment to cast a spell before tearing back into the zombies.

Depending on the effects of the spells, I've got a few choices. If I can somehow effect the entire squad, I'll cast protection from energy against fire. If that won't work, I'll use Bull's Strength or Divine Power. What would be the Dragonhammer effect of each of those spells?

For now rolling attacks for the next round for the Iron Order.
First Rank: To Hit, WS5 vs. WS3 [roll0]
To Wound: S6 vs. T4 [roll1]

Second Rank: To Hit, WS5 vs. WS3 [roll2]
To Wound: S6 vs. T4 [roll3]

I'm not sure what the response will be when the zombies are wiped. Will the dwarves, elemental and golem all over run into each other, or does the fight simply peter out and everyone stands still?

[mshady]

Turn 5 – Patriarchate Movement

Nega Silverhammer’s Command - Valkyries: Seeing the sudden losses caused by the Death Knight, Nega urges her troops forward to support the wavering Legionnaires. They join the unit and take over most of the front line of the beleaguered Legionnaires.

“Har! Never be a good sign o’how its going to see a Valkyrie!” Hruntgar the battle standard bearer exclaims at the sign of the approaching winged helmets and glistening silvery mithril armor.

Nalrak ‘s Command – Patriarchate Pikemen: Ordered forward by Nalrak, the pikemen march forward. Despite not being full-time soldiers, the levied troops from Barakbarr march forward in time to the reverberating beat of a kettle drum. Long, deadly pikes are held high into the air as the soldiers stomp forward. Equipped with chain mail and a shield, they may not be as well equipped but their numbers and weapons would allow them to fight in ranks four deep.

Magnum’s Command – Arbalesters: Seeing the approaching formation of Godsmen infantry, the arbalesters move forward and form into two ranks and prepare to fire into the mass of soldiers.

Johannes, Murtak and Yennifer: The trio continue forward, bypassing the shaky remains of the catwalk that Arum had brought down. They move forward towards the enemy. With an imposing formation of enemies blocking their path, the three ready the next part of the plan. Clearly facing civilians pressed into service, Yennifer looks between them and the fearsome Iron Order soldiers or the wall of pikes and shakes her head.

“Look at them….” she frowns. “What chance do they have against Carmard’s dwarves, bulls or mercenaries?”

Once again, she frowns and than her eyes begin to glow a faint blue as she prepares to focus her magic.

Kelith Firestorm: Sensing and now seeing the towering fire elemental, Kelith finally moves forward and on to the battle field properly. Standing alone and knowing full well that the dozens of archers and crossbowmen could make short work of him if the wall of fire came down and he fell into their sights. While someone in Johannes’ group had clearly turned the elemental on its own allies, how long it would remain so was anyone’s guess. His faith and natural resistance to the heat meant he could survive fighting the creature when anyone else who fought it would be burned terribly. How much time did he have until it turned?

Grathalmor Ironfist: Holding the Black Orc’s unfamiliar greatsword in both hands, Grathalmor moves towards the terrible creature of firing grinding its way through the zombies. In all likelihood, it would launch its next wild attacks against the Iron Order soldiers after it ran out of the zombies. It may not even be able to tell the difference between foes. With a roaring war cry in Clangeddin’s name, Grathalmor charges the elemental.

Arman Madero: As the pikemen surge forward, Arman decidedly rightly to get out of their way. He moves up closer to the golem he is controlling and looks for the wizard that had just used that terrible gas spell on the Legionnaires.

ArumfaerWed: Seeing the pikemen moving forward , with their long, long spears and grim faces, Arum snaps the reins on his badger and he urges it to move away. The badger protests for a moment, before Arum gives it a hard kick square in the ribs. Having already taken out a detachment of crossbowmen, Arum’s eyes cast about for his next target. Powerful though he was, he only had a certain amount of magic and had to ration it carefully. Patience was not even remotely one of his virtues, however. He much preferred a fight where he could continually throw his magic about but this was all together different than ones he had been in before.

Patriarchate Magic Phase:

Arman Madero: Gazing up at the wizard on the cat walk, Arman wonders what the wizard above was expecting to happen standing by himself on the cat walk with so many other wizards on the field. Arman forms a glob of acid in his hand and suspends it in the air for a moment before casting it outwards. The spike of acid streaks out and hits the wizard, but there is a flash of an abjuration and the acid turns into a spray.

"What?" Arman thinks to himself. His mind spins for a moment, before realizing the shaky view of the wizard was caused by an abjuration against ranged weapons.

Not so dumb after all

"Arrow wards on the wizard!" Arman calls out.

Arumfaerwed: Hearing Arman's words, Arum has a laugh at Arman's expense at the wasted spell. Knowing while it was unlikely to kill the mage, Arum conjures a magic missile spell and sends it across the foundry. The bolts stagger the mage, but he or she remains on her feet.

"That's how ya do it!" Arum exclaims, his laughter reverberating through the foundry.

Carmard and Arcanii: Seeing the failure and success variously of Arman and Arum, Carmard looks around for a better target and decides the opposing wizard is the best bet. He signals the other Arcanii and suddenly a storm of azure and blue bolts of magical energy come thundering from the broken gate house towards the enemy mage. He only has a moment to realize what just happened before the force of the bolts throw the foundry blow the mage clear off the cat walk. His arms flail as he falls to the ground, before he hits the ground with a thud. He twitches for a moment, and then stops moving.

"Wizard down!" Carmard roars out to the troops. As he looks out across at the fallen wizard, he allows himself a vicious smile.

Yennifer: Seeing the approaching soldiers, Yennifer and her two erstwhile allies move towards the approaching Godsmen infantry.

"Think those strapping young men'll be afraid of a woman?" she says, and smiles towards Johannes.

Ripples of black and red energy swirl about the length of her arm before a cloud of ugly energy red energy forms in front of her. With strength and force of will, she forces the web of energy forward towards the infantry.

A moment later, they react in fright and terror. A slight fog of red and black energy engulfs the group. Screaming with fright, they turn and run away in fear.

"Fear magic..." she says with a smile. "Have I been naughty again?"

Nalrak Ironfist: Turning to his holy symbol once again, Nalrak pours the power of his faith and contempt for his foes into it once again. The effect is even greater than last time. All seven of the remaining zombies burst into golden flame, along with two more zombies from the group fighting Thordek. They drop on to the ground and writhe in flame before becoming ash.

Kelith Firestorm: Getting into the fight, Kelith casts a spell of divine favor upon himself as he moves forward.

Magnum Rurikson: Knowing tougher fighting is about to come, Magnum casts a spell to strengthen himself.

Shooting Phase:

The arbalesters and levtokuld atop the gate house stay in their position, and are unable to get a clear shot at anyone else.

"Oi! What's the plan 'ver here?" one of the crossbowmen asks.

Magnum's Arbalesters: With the soldiers fleeing in terror, they turn to face the fire elemental. Crossbows click and bolts fly, stabbing into the elemental once again. Tough though it is, two more serious wounds are opened up on it. Liquid fire streams out of the wounds on to the floor and its scream sound like the door of a blast furnace had been opened.

Sable: Using a spell, Sable looks down the shaft of the arrow and sees it glow slightly as the she prepares her shot. The nice thing about working with Wyatt was she could place a shot over his head if need be. Looking over Wyatt, she locked eyes with the sniper a moment before releasing the arrow. It flies unerringly, and strikes the sniper in the center of his chest. He stumbles for a moment and the arrow sticks out from his chest.

"Hmph!" is all it says, and snatches the arrow out and tosses it aside. Sable's quick eyes note the tip is red with blood, but it appears some knd of armor had stopped the arrow from doing more damage.

Sable does 9 pts of damage to the sniper.

Close Combat Phase:

Nalrak's Iron Order (19/20): With Nalrak having turned all of their foes to ash, they have none left to fight.

Magnum's Iron Order (20/20): The first rank of the Iron Order launches into an attack, and immediately pound two of the zombies into the ground. The ranks of spears behind them thrust forward and spit three more zombies. The zombies themselves are unable to bring down any of the Iron Order troopers. Magnum himself kills one of them as well.

Nutz: The Iron Golem fells one more of the zombies.

Fire Elemental: The rogue elemental torches the last zombie, before suddenly realizing it may have been sent out with another objective entirely.

Thordek and Nega Silverhammer's Command: Now joining the embattled Legionnaires, the valkyries immediately strike down three zombies. The legionnaires take down an additional one as well. The zombies manage to bring down one of the legionnaires, but a cleric manages to get to him in time. The dwarves surge forward collectively, battering another 7 zombies into the ground.

Grathalmor versus the Fire Elemental: Grathalmor charges towards the fire elemental with his sword held high. "Clangeddin!" he bellows as he charges at the oblivious elemental, before launching himself into the air and chopping down hard at the creature's leg. It roars from the blow!

Grathalmor does 12 pt damage

Thordek's Duel: The duel between Thordek and the undead knight continues unabated. Knowing it will take a powerful hit to bring down such a foe, Thordek puts his strength into the blow. Unfortunately, the knight's armor turns away yet another blow. Much to Thordek's surprise. Unable to land a hit, yet taking them himself, the situation was getting out of hand quickly...

The undead knight's own reply is equally ineffective. Its greatsword flashes towards Thordek in quick, deadly flashes with mechanically perfect form. Unable to get a shield between the blows and the sword, Thordek is battered heavily but his battered armor holds but the blows knock the breath from his lungs.

"Oi!" Nega announces tartly as she steps into the fray. Both the knight and Thordek immediately look at her. Nega's perfectly polished silver and mithril armor gleams, even in the fading light. Holding a mace that glows softly in her hand, she points it at the death knight.

"I be a Valkyrie of Berronar. No dwarf'll fall to an abomination like ye, if I have a thing to say 'bout it!"

Without further word, she quickly moves in and swats her foe's greatsword clear long enough to drive the mace into the side of the knight's helmet, sending it skittering and the knight itself reeling. It's head smokes from the blow, the divine energy burning it badly.

"I be Nega Silverhammer, commander of da Valkyries! In Berronar's name, I'll smite ye down I shall!"

She holds out her mace and dares the knight to approach her.

Now facing two opponents, the knight steps backwards and shifts its guard from Thordek to Nega and back again, not sure which is the greater threat now.

"This soul welcomes ye for easing mine task to slay your leaders. Come, I bid ye to cross arms with I. The bearded one was no challenge to I. What say ye of ye own merit, dwarf woman?" it asks, its voice reedy and high.

Nega inflicted 17 hp damage against the knight.

More to come shortly (Godsmen turn), plus map!

[Strangie]

As soon as Wyatt is given the opportunity, he crosses weapons with the sniper, putting his high speed to use to skirmish him.

"Snipe 'dis, ya freakin' coward!" Wyatt calls out to his foe.

Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]
Acid Bonus: [roll2]
Skirmish Bonus: [roll3]
AC after moving: 34 (touch 24, flat 22 though I have Uncanny Dodge)

Gonna put myself on the opposite side of him so Sable can flank him if possible. Spring Attack avoids AoOs.

[mshady]

OOC - Forgot to resolve Wyatt and Sable. Will do so tonight... Sorry!

Updated it. Now I have to do Grathalmor's charge too. Haha.

Edit 2: Updated for Grathalmor and Sable/Wyatt

[mshady]

Heya everyone. There's an announcement on the mass combat in the OOC thread.

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=8786992#post8786992

[thorgrim29]

Thank you for the help Valkyrie Silverhammer, tough I would have gotten it eventually either way, now we can make quick work of it. No challenge am I?.

Thordrek takes a 5 foot step towards eventually flanking the monstrosity with Nega and casts shocking grasp before striking

to hit: [roll0]
Caster level check for SR [roll1]
damage: [roll2]
Spell damage (electricity) : [roll3]

[mshady]

OOC- Hey everyone, check out the OOC thread for something different :) While I work on the summary, I'd like you guys to do some background stuff for XP and prizes. Prizes? Check and see!

[mshady]

The Main Battle

Carmard leans out across the broken stone crenellation and grips the edge tightly as he watches the battle unfold in front and below him. Slowly but surely, the forces of Nalrak, Thordek and Magnum grind their way through the zombies. Rank after rank are hewn down without further loss by the disciplined dwarves. Whistles blow every minute to change the lines, moving fresh dwarves to the front line to keep up the momentum. Carmard took a great deal of pride watching how orderly his hardened professional troops were. His conscience burned at the early loss of so many of the legionnaires to that damnable undead knight that Thordek, and now Nega, were tangling with.

So far, the knight was taking Thordek apart and had yet to take a serious hit from the senior Levtokuld. With the arrival of Nega, the female paladin of Berronar who had resurrected the Valkyries, Carmard felt confident the two would turn the tables on the knight quickly. It was impossible to miss Thordek’s axe as became a cloud of seething, eye burning electrical energy, nor the explosion caused as he landed a devastating blow against the knight. The impact knocks the knight backwards, smoking from the wound and staggering from the blow. A moment later, he hears Nega invoke Berronar’s name ring out, as clear as if the paladin was standing next to him, and her mace becomes a torch of golden light. She smites the enemy knight with all her strength, staggering it even further. Knowing it is now on its back foot, the knight falls back to a skillful guard position and the three combatants whirl back and forth for another minute before the two dwarves coordinate an attack. Two more powerful blows are landed, and the knight finally goes down in a heap. Around them, the last of the zombies are slain as well.

That was more like it, Carmard thought with a mixture of pride and indignant the undead had provided even the smallest delay, or claimed any of the dwarves.

On the flanks, more Godsmen infantry pour forward in alarming numbers. Knowing they could be pushed back by weight of numbers alone, Carmard urges the rest of the dwarves out of the tunnels. In the back of his mind, he contemplates when to unleash the Hextros’ mercenaries and how merciful a mood he was in. He decided he was not in very much of one at all. The sooner this ended, the better…

That was when the roaring wall of fire exploded in fragments of blue energy and a nearly deafing explosion. With the wall of fire gone, Carmard looked across the battlefield to see the assembled enemy.

There were a lot...

[mshady]

Sable and Wyatt

Having already put one arrow into the enemy sniper, Sable readied her next arrow. She did not even have time to knock it before Wyatt surged forward, dancing about in an impossibly small space on the cat walk. His mace connected with the snipers soft belly, and the thin man stumbles for a moment. The sniper attacks Wyatt with his skewer, thrusting once and than twice at him, but the Halfling dodges them with consummate ease. Between her own long experience as an archer and her powerful bow, Sable’s astonishing, and enhanced, timing allow her to put one of her two next shots into the sniper. The blows aren’t fatal, but their enough.

Having had more than enough of this, the sniper darts back quickly; quicker than either Sable or Wyatt can react. Seconds later, the words of an arcane chant can be heard and a circle is suddenly drawn into the air in front of him. It crackles and is outlined in blue sparks. With a slight bow, their foe steps through the dimensional door and disappears.

“Nice trick” Wyatt reflects, a bit in awe of the display of magic.

“Too nice…” Sable replies. Her eyes dart around the area, trying to figure out where the other side of the door had opened. “Far too nice…”

[mshady]

Johannes, Yennifer and Murtak

Having scared off one group of enemy infantry, the trio continue to move forward at a trot. Almost immediately, they see another group of the enemy infantry. Once again, Yennifer conjures a spell of fear and they are filled with terror and run for their lives. Her eyes sparkle with malicious delight at the effects as she indulges herself, enjoying the effects. She catches her breath for a moment, watching the terrified men run and enjoys the spectacle and emotion as a delighted observer. Noting Murtak’s uncomfortable glance, she shrugs.

“I’m a Sensate. Fascinating to see the reaction. Always different...” is all she says in her defense, a bit entranced with the scene. Murtak waits for further explanation and looks to Johannes, but he waves him off to concentrate on his own matters. Crossbow in hand, Johannes looks up at the cat walks for any other foes. Finally, he grunts and continues.

“Just how many o’these fellas are there?” Murtak asks, as the next group pushes past the wall of fire.

His question is answered a moment later as the enemy finally manage to dispel Carmard’s Wall of Fire. It explodes in fragments of blue energy and a fury of sound as its dweomer is shredded.

“That many, I think…” Johannes dead pans, a bit staggered by actually seeing the numbers of enemies he thought were there.

Before them, hundreds of soldiers are lined up in roughly organized square ranks with a panoply of weapons just behind the now-removed curtain of fire.

“Oi, now what?” Murtak asks. “Stick with yer plan, ye beardless chin strap?” Murtak says sarcastically, if only to hide his own distress.

Standing by themselves, Yennifer rubs her hands together and shakes her head despairingly. She casts a glance back to where Carmard and his Arcanii are.

“Aye, I know” Johannes says, voicing Yennifer’s concerns. “He’d rather let the slaadi loose on them than risk his own first…”

[Strangie]

Wyatt jived to one side as the sniper swung at him. "Whoosh! Sorry, denied. Try again, pal." and then ducked again as the next attack came at him. "Not so tough now are ya? Are ya?"

Wyatt did a double-take in surprise when his target disappeared. He knew one thing for sure, though - he definitely outpaced this guy in a one-on-one battle. However, if he went into hiding again, it would create a plethora of problems for him and his partner.

He knew the man couldn't have gotten too far, though, with a dimensional hop like that, or out of sight at least. He hoped this was the case, anyway. He darted his eyes across the area quickly, hoping to uncover the man's new hiding place. He hoped he could find the fancy display of magic dumping him somewhere else.

"Ah, nuts, the coward skipped out on me. 'dat fancy scope of his is gonna give him a real nice view... of me killin' him!" Wyatt said as he twirled his mace, looking for his opponent...

Using an action to make an active Spot/Listen check.
Spot: [roll0] <- Oh hell yeah, natural 20 up in this hizzouse. Word.
Listen: [roll1] <- This is also a nice roll.

If he manages to find him, he will move towards the sniper, if it is feasable (the sniper is in a place Wyatt can access quickly with normal movement) If not, he'll return to Sable and hope she has a better plan.

[thorgrim29]

That's how it's done!

Thordrek exults, then he looks back on the troops behind him, and his face falls. So many had died because he didn't manage to take the death knight alone. His eyes harden. reaches into his backpack and takes out a potion he drinks, and he and Nega lead their troops to the next combat. When he's the nearest he'll be to them, he orders the Levtokuld to come with him and the arbalesters to shot at the main body of troops

Cure moderate wounds potion: [roll0]

We'll try to flank charge an enemy unit or, if none are close, we'll head for the main body of enemy troops.

This isn't going so well, I hope the boss knows what he's doing, and unleashes the slaadi on them soon

[mshady]

Magnum and Kelith versus the Fire Elemental

With the last of the zombies felled between the massed dwarven troops and the golems, the fire elemental swings its volcanic form about, casting its eyes around hungrily for more of the undead it suddenly delighted in burning so, thanks to Johannes' suggestion. At some point shortly thereafter, it decided this was not completely its own idea after all, and it was these dwarves that burned best of all. With their long, dirty, oily beards and fancy banners, they would burn just as well.

It looked down now to find two figures standing before it, a dwarf and a red robed priest swinging a long chain that whistles through the air. Towering over thirty feet tall, the elemental lowers its head and roars at the two. A wave of furiously hot air blasts over the two, causing them to shield their eyes. Their ears are not so lucky, and they are nearly deafened by the furnace like noise of a roaring and crackling fire.

It's not simply the sound of an inferno, but also of Ignan, the language of the fire elementals and that is something Kelith understands all too well as a priest of Kossuth. While it is far from articulate, he translates it quickly in his mind and is grimly reminded of the "fire talks" he had years ago in his training.

"Burn your meat, I will! Char you black and consume your ash! Die or run, mortals! I am Evar-at-kanaus!" are the words Kelith hears. He relates them to Magnum, and the two nod to each other grimly.

"Shalestone!" Magnum curses as he looks up, and up, and up at the inferno given form before him. "Clangeddin's hairy pair! This wee one's going to take a few to put down, I be saying!" Magnum says boastfully. He bangs his fine axe, Arctis , against his shield and tries not to show his nerves.

He hoped the axe would be able to take a toll against the foe, and he knew the protection from heat it gave may have some use. It was no Icingdeath , but he had no plans to ride a flaming Shadow Dragon down into a gorge with it either.

For his part, Kelith calmly swung his chain at a steady pace. He constantly shifted his position, to interpose himself between the elemental and the growing dwarven forces. It was a big one; bigger than any he had saw in his young life. Such creatures demanded respect and fear, especially in his own faith where they were considered a manifestation of Kossuth.

Fighting this creature was no sacrilege for him, however. Kossuth tested his all of his followers, with real or metaphorical fire, during their life. This would be his greatest test yet, he decided, taking a very optimistic view of the situation at hand. As always, only the power of his faith in the cleansing fires of Kossuth would show him the way.

Gripping a holy symbol, rendered from gold into the shape of a fire, Kelith holds up the talisman and fills it with the very power of his faith. The power of it makes his nerves scream in pain for a moment as the searing energy flows through him. The symbol roars to life, bathing the area around him with crackling orange and gold light. He had no more strength to give and hoped he would be able to turn the creature away or weaken it at least.

No such long, Kelith soon notices. The elemental seems unphased by the show of faith by Kelith.

Once again, its blast furnace voice fills the room and it causes Kelith to wince as he translates what it had said. In this case, it was nothing but a sense of derision.

"Well, what'd it say for itself?" Magnum asks Kelith.
"Nothing" Kelith replies sourly. "It was laughing at us...."

To be continued!!!

[mshady]

Magnum and Kelith share a look for a moment, and without exchanging any words, settle on how to start the fight. Holding his thick shield in a defensive position and angling it upwards, Magnum moves in towards the elemental with eyes fixed on its fiery fists. Before he does so though, he casts a spell and creates a spiritual weapon. The glowing waraxe pops to life next to the elemental and immediately. The weapon chops deeply into the creatures leg, and it hollows in pain and surprise.

The fire elemental has take 11 HP (115/136 hp)

Kelith stays back and casts a spell of Shield of Faith before he wants to risk getting any closer to the elemental. It's reach was longer than his chain, and his normal advantage was negated here.

The elemental reacts like a wounded beast would and immediately switches its attention to the golden axe that had cut into it so badly. Two fiery fists slam into the axe, but neither even phase the axe.

[Chepe Nolon]

Well done lad. I tink you can old dis yerself now. "Valkyries!!" " We have a flank to secure". Casts lay on hands on Thordek and leads her troops to the pressured flank. "Shields !!" "Maces!!" "ATTACK!!".

[mshady]

Taking advantage of the creature's distraction, Magnum calls forth another spiritual axe. The manifestation of Clangeddin's axe chops at the elemental once again. It strikes, but the first axe misses this time.

The fire elemental takes another 7 hp (113/136 hp)

Kelith keeps his distance from the towering elemental, knowing far too well how powerful it's fists can be even if he can resist the elemental's fire. He keeps his distance from the elemental for now, until Magnum can close with the elemental. He considered using his cloud of knives, but such small weapons would hardly wound such a foe. Instead, Kelith uses a spell to tap into his animalistic nature and suddenly feels stronger, quicker and tougher. He would need it in order to help bring down this foe.

Having realized what he had gotten himself into, Grathalmor had stepped out of the range of the elemental until help arrived. With Kelith and Magnum now there as well, he charged back in at the elemental with his greatsword. With a roar, Grathalmor lifts the greatsword in his hands high over his head. The weapon is light in his hands as he hefts it high over his head. The mithril blade has a razor edge on it and is remarkably light in his hands. As he charges in against the elemental, the beast becomes aware of his attack and a fiery fist comes down upon him. There's nothing he can do to avoid the attack, and the fist hits him squarely. The force of the blow knocks him back several feet and sends him spinning. He growls and charges onward again and cries out and chops down at the elemental's leg. As tough as its hide is, the mithril blade and Grathalmor's own strength is enough to hurt the elemental.

Grathalmor does 9 pts of damage to the elemental (104/136 hp)

[shaddy_24]

Magnum

"Good on ya, Grath! Let's see how tough this beastie really is." Magnum follows Grathalmore in, deciding to take the risk to split the creature's focus. The heat surrounding it is dulled by the magic of Arctis, but its imposing size doesn't disappear that easily. Grinning through his nerves, Magnum charges forward, raising Arctis to strike.

Charge attack, [roll0]
[roll1]
Cold damage: [roll2]
Gauntlets of Giantfelling: [roll3]
Crit confirmation: [roll4] Holy crap! That's a natural 20 to confirm a natural 20! Which I just remembered doesn't do anything against elementals...
Crit damage: [roll5]

Spiritual Weapon 1: [roll6], [roll7]
Spiritual Weapon 2: [roll8], [roll9]

[mshady]

As Kelith, Grathalmor and Magnum tangle with the tower fire elemental, Carmard watches from the ramparts with dread fascination. The trio were clearly overmatched by the monster, and he watched the two dwarves each go down in succession from the elemental’s fireball fists. Fortunately, Magnum and Kelith were both clerics and Grathalmor was… well, Grathalmor, and they continued to last. The dance between the three continues; each of the combatants darting in turn and they were taking the toll and get burned badly for their efforts. Had there not been the imminent threat of dealing with Barauk, he would have sent the iron golems against it or turned his fellow Arcanii on it. Supposedly, they were immune to fire and even repaired by intense heat but he knew there may be limits to how much heat they could take. They couldn’t fight in a volcano, for example and fighting one may not be a good idea either. As it was, the golems were more valuable than any of them, but he was confident they would eventually deal with it…

“Time to get off dis rock” one of the adjacent Arcanii says, gently prodding his commander of his responsibilities. Carmard nods and turns his eyes back to the main battle field. The last of the dwarves, and a portion of the mercenaries, had finally finished streaming out of the tunnel. Many of the dwarven ranks had taken cover under their shields. Stubby crossbows pelt the enemies and have forced back many of them into cover, but Carmard knew their ammo was limited and their foes had plenty of time to prepare.

They had to keep rolling forward, Carmard thought. Just to punctuate that particular point, a storm of arrows came soaring through the air and landed amongst the dwarves and the gathering slaads. For the slaads, it was a trivial injury but the yelps of some of his kin caused Carmard to bite his lip in frustration.

“Frak!” one of the Arcanii shouts, as he drops behind the rampart with an arrow sprouting from his shoulder. He had been trying to climb over the rampart to the ground when he had been hit and sent scrambling back for cover. Carmard catches a glimpse of a cloaked figure crouched in a corner with a ridiculously long crossbow a moment before he saw the glint and heard the whine of another bolt heading his way. He flinched just in time and head the bolt strike the stone behind him, actually sticking in the stone.

Ducking down, Carmard curses his luck. The Levtokuld and the arbalesters had already moved forward and were engaged with the enemy. Having waited too long, they were now pinned down. Deciding they were all safer behind the stone than exposed on the field, he decides to hold position for a moment.

Nothing short of a trained eye would be able to spot the slippery assassin, and thankfully he had one of his own.

“Shields!” he yells. Understanding the intent, the Arcanii and their guards raise their shields over the ramparts just long enough for Carmard to stand up The range was far too much for the weapon, but it would get in the general area he hoped. Putting all his strength behind the throw, Carmard hurls his enchanted war hammer as hard as he can and cries out to Sable.

“Sable! Found the sniper! He’s…” Carmard yells. He is cut off by a crossbow bolt stabs through his mithril shield, nearly impaling his arm.

“Ye hear the one about the dwarf who stuck his neck out?” a grinning soldier asks Carmard.

“No, what?” he asks sourly.

“He got shot!” the dwarf roars with laughter. Several of the others do as well. In any other circumstance, it might have been worth an eye roll but even a horrid joke can break the stress. After a moment, even Carmard has a short laugh at the joke, much to the surprise of his comrades.

Next to him, his hammer rematerializes, as he settles down for a moment to wait.

[Strangie]

"Sable, 'dere he is. Keep him off of Carmard and me. I'm gonna go mess up 'dat campground over 'dere..."

Wyatt saw Carmard's hammer being thrown and he darted in that direction, keeping his head down to avoid getting sniped himself. He said nothing, and simply ran, not wanting to give himself away while the sniper was focused on something else.

He ran forward with his buckler shield up in front of him, his other hand held in front of him with the mace pointed forward. He made sure to stay behind friendly lines if possible and away from the fray, to avoid getting shot by anybody else or getting involved in melee combat with someone who wasn't the sniper. His all out skirmishing efforts frustrated non-sharpshooters as he looked to close the gap with the marksman.

Once he closed the gap with the sniper, if the sniper hadn't already split, Wyatt would give him a beating he would never forget.

[Tharar_Greenleaf]

Kelith

Kelith continues his battles with the elemental trying to get into a flanking position if possible. All the while debating whether to cast a few more defensive spells or hold off. In the end, he thinks better of it and saves his spells for the healing he is assured will come.

{{So mshady, I'm good for you to pop out a few rounds of combat per post with Kelith, so long as he heals himself and others when needed ;)}}

[Gorgondantess]

Meanwhile...
In another part of the battlefield
Johannes looks grimly down at the mass of Godsmen assembled before him. He walks a bit closer- close enough to do what he needs to do, but probably out of range of their crossbows.
...Probably.
He falls down on his knees, and closes his eyes, concentrating. He gives a wink back to Martauk and Yennifer. "Just follow my lead... you'll see where this is going."

And with that, he begins a magical incantation. As he finishes, nothing happens, for a moment...
And then a massive, gnarled, stony arm bursts out of the ground before him. It gropes forwards, reaching, and grips the ground. Then another arm sticks out, then a head... the stony being pulls itself out of the ground jerkily, as if lifting itself out of a pool of taffy; the earth clings to it, and its arms snap away. Dust fills the air, and it finally stands upright at an excess of 40 feet tall. It's vaguely humanoid, in the same way a cloudwatcher might consider a cloud to be... but with its stocky frame, there's something undeniably dwarfy about it.
It stands still for a few seconds, as the dust settles, then comes alive with jerky, inhuman, discomfiting movement; its joints grind together as it moves, and looking around, it leans forwards, its eyes bursting into green flames that seem more animate than the being they inhabit, and black smog issuing from its mouth to dissipate in front of it.
A thin pillar of earth shoots out of the ground next to it, and the creature grabs it with a blunt, three fingered hand. It pulls on it, and it bursts from the ground, the head shaped into a hammer. The jagged rocks fall away to reveal a perfectly crafted, massive warhammer, covered in tiny, intricate dwarven runes that instantly ignite into a red glow. As soon as the figure situates itself with the hammer, the head ignites into flames, then with a crack a vortex of wind swirls around it, and begins screaming. Black worms of ichor, like tar, burst out of the figure, only to swim back in to its being, while it slowly, inexorably, moves forwards towards the amassed army.
It begins swinging the hammer back and forth at ground level as it walks, and it moans a sound that issues from everywhere and nowhere. The sound slowly forms into words.
"Must... destroy...
Destroy... Everything..."

[mshady]

With the dangerous Arcanii suppressed for the moment, the hooded sniper in the cat walk signals to the commanders below that now was the time to attack. He has to signal several times before getting their attention, but once he does, things begin to happen. With the blare of trumpets and pounding of drums, nearly a thousand Godsmen infantry lurch forward in an uneven line. Arman and Arum immediately reply by conjuring a fireball and sending it into the teeth of the enemy formation. They cut down ranks of enemies, but they continue to surge forward like a new tide coming in, washing away what was in front of them. Many of them scream and holler, as much to instill bravery into themselves as to rattle the dwarves and mercenaries. Neither group of hard bitten soldiers were moved by the screaming or war paint. Instead, the dwarven line unleashed a torrent of crossbow bolts with their repeating crossbows. They have enough time to unload a half dozen shots before the Godsmen reach the dwarven lines. Almost a hundred of them are cut down on the approach to the dwarven line. With all of the soldiers dropping, the charge breaks and is disrupted as they trip other the fallen and wounded.

Within reach of the dwarven line, the legionnaires and levtokuld fire their powerful pistols into the center of the enemy line. The sound, fury and smoke from the pistols causes the front ranks to melt away and causes the enemy to continue to tumble. Many react in fear at the unexpected and deadly attack.

That was when the salamanders stepped forward. Covered in silver plate mail and helmets shaped like dragons, each holds a flaming tube with a hand pump and a large tank on their backs. They pump the tubes furiously and open the valves, sending streams of dwarven fire into the center of the enemy line. A much larger cannon, covered in tubes and a team of dwarves working a pump is also unleashed. If the salamanders sent a stream of fire into the center of the Godsmen, this was a river. A long line of fire, reaching through several groups, lands. All of the fire burns furiously, and in moments a another hundred Godsmen are immolated, just as they reached the dwarven lines.

With the entire charge in disarray, with some units running back through their own ranks and away from the fire and deadly foes, Thordek blows a whistle and Hruntgar signals a charge of their own. With war cries in Clangeddin and Moradin’s name, the center of the dwarven line surges forward. They crash into the enemy and move their line backwards, before settling in to a methodical attack. Thordek’s legionnaires lead the way, chopping through the battered center of the enemy forces.

“Keep on press’n!” Thordek says, extorting his forces forward. “Drive on through’em and to the mages and the traitor!”

Thordek settles on the most aggressive tactic now. He intends to bolt through the center and stop the mages himself by splitting the enemy forces using his most offensive forces. Casualties are taken by the dwarves as well, and more than their hard working clerics can keep up with. Nega’s Valkries and the rest of her contingent fight separately now. They press forward with furious attacks, racing Thordek’s legionnaires to the other side of the enemy line. The race is neck and neck. The two golems also lumber forward, cutting down the enemy slowly but methodically. The best the Godsmen can do is avoid them or run, as they are nigh on invulnerable.

To the left side, the Turrock herd minotaurs require or take no real orders from their own officers. They charge forward with their spiked helms and destroy the first ranks of the spearmen, before unleashing their massive swords and great axes to terrible effect. At the very edge of the left flank rides Hjalmar and his contingent of the Knights of Moradin. Riding their massively armored and fearsome looking dire boars, they charge into the group of spearmen at the edge of the line, trying desperately to stop their forces from being flanked. Several of the boars are wounded in the charge, for their mounts with massive and not easily killed. A militia’s short spears against armored shock cavalry had little chance to even slow them. They ride right over the first two ranks and cut down more quickly. In less than a minute, an infantry block of fifty Godsmen are trampled into the ground. The Knights burst through into the rear of the enemy formation and pause long enough to retrieve new lances before looking for their next foes and tend their wounds quickly. None have fallen in the charge.

On the right, Johannes’ illusion of a massive, dreadful dwarf lumbers forward. It towers over everything, even the elemental or the golems. At the sight of it approaching, the whole right flank of the enemies break into a full on route. They rush to the back of the factory gallery and far, far away from the fight. Having never seen a thing like it, they are through intimidated by it. Following behind them with their lopping gate are dozens of slaads that howl with predatory hunger.

Their advance is met by more Godsmen infantry, and these ones don’t run at all. The elite infantry is well armored and far more professional. They meet the slaads in a desperate attempt to hold them away from the furiously laboring mages. They work around the still distant mage circle to break the imprisonment spell holding the spirit of Bauruk and the Stoneburner. Surprisingly enough, the elite infantry hold against the Slaads, and even make some headway, but their own losses are mounting as well….

[Strangie]

While the sniper was signaling the main charge - and more or less failing, due to the effect it had - Wyatt was moving as fast as his legs could carry him to intercept him. Even if the dwarves were pushing ahead and the odds looked to be in their favor at the moment, losing a crucial command member could be bad, and he knew the importance of that. It seemed like this guy must have been important in more ways than being a sharpshooter, having signaled an entire rush.

Which gave Wyatt all the more motivation to take him out. He closed in rather quickly, whirling his mace around his wrist before sending it down to give the poor bastard a terrible bludgeoning.

Spring Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1] + [roll2] Improved Skirmish + [roll3] Acid

AC is 34 from Skirmishing. Let's dance, campground.

"Boink!"

[thorgrim29]

Thordrek hacks left and right, fighting like a dwarf possessed as he leads his spearhead deeper and deeper into the enemy lines, hoping the other patriarchate forces are following. When his unit hits heavier or elite troops, he will let the legionary behind him take his place, use his wand to enlarge himself, hen use his rod to summon an iron wall in front of his unit, as wide as the enemy unit and as high as possible, with the base broader on his eide then the enemies'. Helped by the legionaries he pushed the wall down, dismisses his spell and continues his advance.

[Katasi]

Arum pulls out his wand of ice knife and fires a spell from it toward the fire elemental.

[Gorgondantess]

Joh concentrates on his illusion, milking it for all it's worth and having it hang a right and slowly, inexorably, stomp towards the still amassed guardsmen.

[Chepe Nolon]

Nega drives her troops to strengthen the flank and attacks with a vengance. Driving her forces forward as if the had a maul at their heels ;)

[shaddy_24]

Magnum

Magnum dodges and swings, continuing his fight against the giant elemental. The tremendous heat doesn't reach him through the protective sheath of Arctis, and the bracers he wears empower his swings against the creature. Both spiritual weapons continue to strike at the creature as well, slowely weakening it. His earlier fear has faded, and is replaced by exhilaration. This was a grand fight. He sees Grath and Kelith moving around as well. Both of them were still standing, so that was something positive. "Come on! Give up, beasty, you can't win this one! We're dwarves! Our spirits take power from the mountains, and we don't burn easy."

[Tharar_Greenleaf]

Kelith

Only getting parting glances from the corner of his eye at the other areas of the battle, he notices the racket and flair of the "flame-throwers". Continuing his battle against the elemental he prays the commotion was brought about by his side and that they were doing well over there. Atleast better than he was over here chipping away at the huge elemental.

[mshady]

Kelith, Grathalmor and Magnum versus the Fire Elemental

Everyone in the dwarven and mercenary army stays clear of the fire elemental, as the trio tries to keep it away. Confronting it directly had only resulted in the three being battered and burned by the elemental. Now, they try to keep it away from the rest of the army and stopping it from rampaging through the ranks.

The elemental pays special attention to Kelith. The priest brandishes his symbol of Kossuth, attracting its attention and stinging it with its divine blaze. It has little effect on the elemental, but it certainly draws the creatures ire. Magnum and Grathalmor work nearly back to back, moving in again the elemental. Kelith stays clears of them, and when the elemental focuses on him, the two dwarves move in. Several times, they move in and wound the creature. They focus on its legs, and slowly hobble it. Arctis, in the hands of Magnum, takes a terrible toll on the elemental. Each strike by the axe causes a cloud of steam and flying embers.

Twice Kelith manages to wraps his chain around the elemental's leg, hobbling it for a moment and giving the two dwarves an opportunity. The chain glows red from the transferred heat from the inferno he has latched on to. Even with his natural resistance to the fire, his hands blister from the intense heat. The two move in with reckless abandon and the last time the dwarves manage to bring the elemental to its knees. It roars and pounds its fists, knocking them both back. Grathalmor hits a support pillar and bounces back. With a roar, his greatsword finally splits the side of the elemental. He leaves a long gash, as long as a dwarf is tall and then some. Molten fire pours out on the ground, flowing like water and burning like lamp oil. The elemental roars in pain and frustration at the wound, its inferno voice roars like an opened furnace. When it tries to rise again, Kelith pulls hard on his chain with his enhanced strength. Once again, his chain has wrapped around the elemental. He pulls the elemental's arm out from under it and it crashes into the floor.

Before it had crashed back into the ground, Magnum charges in with Arctis held high. His beard is burned and face red and scorched. Even his armor has been blackened by the fire and dented badly, no doubt resulting in several ribs being broken if not worse damage. His calls out his charge with a manic cry to Clangeddin and cuts into the elemental's neck. The axe flares it life, its sapping cold chilling the creature. Its shroud of flames wavers as Magnum opens its neck. Again he strikes it, causing more damage.
"Just die!" he screams at the elemental , as he hacks away at it with as much frustration as fury. Grathalmor joins him, charging at the vulnerable elemental by leading with his sword point. He impales the creature with nearly 6 feet of mithril, before tearing it away in a spray of liquid fire.

Brought to ground and unable to rise, thanks to its wounds and a furiously glowing chain held a priest of Kossuth conflicted about the battle, the creature moans pitifully. Smoke billows from is mouth and wounds now as the fire cools and flames turn to flickers.

Another round of attacks by the two dwarves finish the task,. The elemental's fires go out completely, and white smokes billows from its husk. The elemental lays on the ground like a giant made of embers. Still hot, it is now little more than coals.

Surveying their handiwork, the three stare at it, dazed from exhaustion.
"Damn..." is all Grathalmor says, heaving for breath.

No other words are said for a moment. Just one word summed up the battle just fine. for the moment.

[mshady]

Check the OOC forum for important information. I have acquired a virtual desktop program and will be trying it out. Go there for more details or search for heretic's bane in OOC.

Thank you,
The Management

[Chepe Nolon]

Nega yells and cast's bless and prayer before engaging in the combat.
"Remember to heal em!! Drive em back!! For Berronar!!."

[mshady]

With the fire elemental finally being toppled, everyone in the dwarven ranks breathes a sigh of relief as the trio finally manage to slay it. While it was far behind the group, the possibility it might be victorious and rampage through their ranks was too much of a threat to be ignored. Nega and her Valkyries stayed to the rear, instead of pressing against the enemy forces, in case that elemental broke free.

The surging dwarven forces have been finally been brought to a halt by the heavy Godsmen forces. Now facing professional forces in plate armor, not unlike the dwarves themselves. The fighting on the front lines quickly turns into a grinding, bloody, fight between roughly equal opponents. The two sides each gain the upper hand at times, surging forward and pushing the other side back, as their lines are winnowed down. The Legionnaires are the most effective in these close quarters, but their lighter armor means they end up taking the most casualties. The center of the legionnaires line is a charnel house of blood, and both Thordek and Nalrak take some serious wounds. The Iron Order soldiers, in their thick plate armor and pole axes, take relatively few losses but cut through the enemy lines. The pikemen hold off the enemy as best they can, but the Godsmen make serious inroads against them as they press past the pikes. Soon, they are defending themselves with hatchets and trying to hold the flank by keeping behind their shields. On the left flank, Hjalmar's cavalry had launched itself into a wild charge into the flank of the enemy in hopes of rolling up the enemy flank.

While that might have worked against conscripts, the Godsmen soldiers accept their losses and return the attack. Soon they are wrapped around the dire boars and their armored riders and poke at the beasts with spears and try to pull the dwarven riders down. As unmaneuverable as the dire boars are, especially with their armor, they are unable to disengage from the battle for another charge. It doesn't take long before Hjalmar himself is pulled from his mount. Soldiers fall upon him moments later, beating on him with maces and hammers. Battered and bloody, Hjalmar claws him way back to his feet and tries to push the Godsmen away.

Up in the Gatehouse, Carmard pokes his head up tentatively and hopes he's not going to be struck by one of the sniper's bolts. Instead, he is surprised to see Wyatt going after the sniper with his mace. The diminutive halfling drives the sniper back several steps before he can even retrieve his skewer. After being painfully struck twice by Wyatt's mace, the sniper tries to block the next blow with his crossbow. Instead, Wyatt knocks it away with a flashing swing of his mace. It goes tumbling the the floor with a clatter. The man finally retrieves his short rapier and now manages to defend himself, keeping pace with Wyatt as they duel continues high above the battlefield on the cat walk. Not wanting to interfere, or more importantly risk a distant shot that might hit Wyatt, Sable instead concentrates on sending volleys of deadly arrows into the enemy ranks below. She moves swiftly along the cat walks, soon finding herself ahead of Wyatt and overlooking the mage's circle. A shimmering field of whirling blue energy surronds the circle. It is a kind of spell she had never saw before, or at least not at this scale. The effect of the spell is both powerful and very physical; from how it was whipping dust and debris around, it would make any shot difficult against the mages. It might take several shots to even hit one, but only one to get the attention of several powerful mages. Having seen what Arum had done to a similar cat walk with just one spell, she had no intention of falling that far down. She glances behind her as he hears a yell from Wyatt, and her heart seizes for a moment in worry that he might have been wounded. Instead, the next thing she hears is a thump and another jubilant yell. Wyatt had somehow knocked the sniper off of the gangway. The cloaked figure lays sprawled out on the ground, completely still.

Back at the gatehouse, Carmard orders his Arcanii to move forward. The battle is now too much of a jumble for any of the Arcanii to start throwing spells into the fray. Having the Iron Golems in the battle was probably dangerous enough for his kin. It's clearly evident that the battle has reached a stalemate. He had every confidence that the dwarves would eventually prevail, but the butchers bill was becoming higher every minute and he had no idea how far along the enemy mages were in unleashing the imprisoned Barauk.

He had hoped to avoid using them, whatever the plan was, but there was no choice in his mind. Carmard reached for a very large horn on his hip and put it to his lips. He blows it with all his strength, creating a droning note that cut through the din of the desperate battle unfolding in front of him. Indeed the sound of the horn is vastly out of proportion for its size, which reveals an unexpected enchantment. Given to him by Hextros to signal the attack, it does what it was meant to do. Not a minute later, swirling holes open up along the left flank as Slaads and tiefling swordsmen pour through. On the right flank, the balance of the Blood Company's tieflings and slaads surge forward as well. At the head of the column is Hextros, riding atop his massive nightmare. Smoke trails from its nose and its fiery hooves brand the flagstone floor beneath it.

"Murder the louts!" Hextros roars to his troops. "Spare a few for the slaads, lest they breed and feast on you curs instead!" he adds. With his massive greatsword held high, he points it forward and launches into a charge around the enemy flanks.

"I almost be feel'n sorry for them" one of the Arcanii reflects. "Not too much though!"

Johannes, Murtauk and Yennifer watch as over a hundred fiends and slaads thunder by their position, heading to outflank their foes and engage the enemy mages.

"At least we got the conscripts out of they way..." Yennifer reflects bitterly.

Things were about the get a whole lot bloodier, and very quickly.

[Strangie]

Wyatt's spectacular duel involves him running circles around the sniper, swinging his mace and making the clinking sound of his mace every time he swings it. "Not so tough now, huh tough-guy?"

BONK.

BOINK.

Wyatt beats the snot out of the sniper a few times, and then just smashes the crossbow out of his hands. "You camped the whole time for 'dis!?" When the sniper drew his skewer, the two clashed weapons against each other on the catwalk, perhaps drawing the awe of anybody who happened to be watching.

The sniper and Wyatt get into a deadlock, both weapons pressed against each other. Wyatt wasn't nearly as strong, so he knew he couldn't win like this. Instead, he quickly ducked under the weapon, rolling underneath the confounded sniper's legs, jumping and turning around and smacking him in the back of the head with a shout. Before the man could whirl around fast enough to defend himself, Wyatt was all over him, bludgeoning him like no tomorrow. In the disorienting state of battle, the man loses his foot on the catwalk and tumbles over the railing!

Wyatt turns and watches the man plummet. "Drink it in, pal! 'dat's how failure tastes." He points downward with his buckler hand the moment the man hits the ground. "Bonk." The halfling gives a thumbs up to whoever might be watching, but wastes no time and quickly scoops up the crossbow the man left behind. Likely too big for him to use easily, he puts it away in his haversack, where it finds space in the extradimensional pocket. "Say g'bye to your fancy scope, dead guy. Someone'll find a nice use for 'dis."

He hears the call for Hextros' troops, and watches as the reinforcements rush in. "Oh man. 'dose poor bastards. Makes me glad I'm not down 'dere."

He races quickly to catch up with Sable as soon as he can. "Sniper's taken care of. Maybe someone'll start takin' me seriously from now on... is 'dat the mage circle? Damn. Can we even do anything against 'dat?"

[Werewhale]

Nalrak Ironfist

Another blow pounded Nalrak's battered shield, his numb shield-arm almost giving way before the weight of the greatsword his opponent was swinging at him. It was punishment that he couldn't take much more of. He was already spitting blood after a warhammer had crashed into his back earlier in the fight. His plate armor had absorbed most of the blood, but he probably had a broken rib or two. Presently he shoved his enemy's sword away and swung his magmahammer in a wide arc, connecting with the Godsman's head. Whether he died or not would be a mystery, as he was lost in the chaos of battle.

A pair of Legionaires pushed ahead of him, buying him a reprieve which he used to survey the battlefield. Not far from him he saw the pike militia wavering. If they broke, the Godsmen could surge through the gap, envelop his own company, strike the rest of the army from the rear and even engage the Arcanii. So Nalrak decided they could use a little help. His spell choice was not geared toward battlefield control, but he did have one spell which could come in handy.

Nalrak grips his golden holy symbol yet again and speaks a prayer to Dumathoin. In front of the pike militia, beneath the feet of the Godsmen pushing forward, the ground churns and grows wicked thorns that cut into the feet of anyone trying to move across it. Nalrak designs the area of the spell so that all the other dwarves can move forwards unhindered, but the Godsmen would have to cross a great length of it to engage the pike militia. It would not do much to help the pikemen immediately, but any Godsmen reinforcements to that fight would be weakened.

That done, he turns some of his god's healing power unto himself to make it less likely for him to drop dead during the battle. Then he grits his teeth and rejoins the fray, keeping an eye on the militia to make sure they do not walk into the trap he set for the Godsmen.

"Come on! Steady! Roll them back! We are the rock, and cannot be resisted! Hyargh!"

Casting Spike Stones under the Godsmen fighting the nearest pike militia group, with 5 feet between the area of effect and the pikemen, so they can advance a step before they have to avoid the spikes.
Then sacrificing my second Summon Monster II to cast Cure Moderate Wounds on myself for [roll0] points of healing.
If any enemies are threatening me as I cast, I cast defensively:
Spike Stones Concentration check: [roll1] vs. DC19
Cure Moderate Wounds Conc. check: [roll2] vs. DC17

[Melody]

Wyatt's question pulls Sable from her contemplation of the mage's circle. Narrowed eyes widen and suddenly a smile lights up her face.

Pulling Wyatt down into a whispered conference, she pulls several rolled bundles out of her pack. As the cloth padding is unrolled it reveals three sets of five rocks tied together in a chain.

[Strangie]

Wyatt simple nods and grins, reaching in his own pack. His haversack instantly calls to what he wants to the top of the pack, making getting everything easy - a trio of flasks of bubbling green liquid, a pair of ornately capped flasks with red liquid, and six small bags, each one somewhat heavier than one of the flasks. He brings it all out carefully in a bundle and gets ready to put the one-and-a-half sneaks' plan together.

[Melody]

Sable's grin matches Wyatt's as she begins to tie everything together using the rope holding the stones together and a very thin, strong wire. Finally the unwieldy bundle becomes a coherent whole.

Do you want to do the honors or shall I?

[Strangie]

"Ahh, 'dis feels... so right. Nah, I got a better idea. Let's both throw 'dis thing. We made it together, let's both deliver the package, yeah?"

Wyatt takes the giant wad, picking it up with both hands carefully. It's heavy, but he manages. When Sable helps him it becomes much easier for him to get it over his head. He takes careful aim, calculating trajectory and all that for a moment, and then he steps forward, putting his halfling throwing practice to good use, and timing his throw with Sable and heaving the giant bomb over the catwalk and down into the mage's circle.

"I'd like to stick around and watch, but we better get the hell outta here while we still can. Let's roll," he says to Sable, gesturing behind him with his thumb. With that, he turns and starts running in the other direction, knowing that the whole thing is going to create a very, very big mess within the circle.

Read this if you want to know what just happened:
Me and Sable basically just created a giant alchemy bomb. Here's what it consists of.

15 Thunderstones (three sets of five tied together like bolos)
3 Acid flasks
2 Alchemist's Fire
1 Flask of Oil
6 Tanglefoot Bags
All neatly tied together by Sable's wire. Each item weighs 1 lb., with the exception of the tanglefoots, which are 4 each, so you're looking at a 45 lb. gob of alchemy, enough weight to hopefully cut through the wind and get in there and make a mess of things. It's within Wyatt's max load, so he can heave it in there just fine with two hands.

Basically what we're shooting for is that the giant thunderstone eruption will ruin the caster's day (chanting incantations is pretty hard when you're deaf), and all the other contents will go everywhere with the wind, covering them all in tanglefoot goo, fire, acid, and burning oil.

We're both hoping this works, if solely for the hilarity factor. We spent a good while planning this out. Go Team 1.5 Sneak. :smallbiggrin:

[mshady]

On the left flank, the dwarven militia hunkers down behind their shields and try to hold their ground. The front ranks try to beat off their foes with their hatchets, but they have little luck. One by one, the flails of the Godsmen they are fighting batter them back or strike them down. The ranks behind try to stab the Godsmen with their unwieldy pikes, but the enemy's plate armor and full helms mean only a thrust through the helmet visor. Working with a height disadvantage, with enemies so close, they have little luck against the Godsmen.

Behind them, the last of the waylaid Knight of Moradin are pulled from their war pigs. Godsmen with flails and crows beaks fall on their foes with frenzy. The Knights, each with decades of experience in service with Citadel Adbar and elsewhere, are all hard pressed by the sheer numbers of the group they are entangled with. The Godsmen try to wear the dwarves out and remaining hard to hit, and fatigue is taking its toll on the dwarves. Their attempt to drive the Godsmen away has failed.

"Form on me! On me, lads!" Hjalmar cries. He raises his hammer and it blazes with divine light, showing his comrades where he is. His back is against his mount, the massively armored war pig Khan, and his own massive shield keep the Godsmen off him. With his distinctive winged helm, his comrades batter their way towards him, taking wounds along the way. Soon, the dwarves have formed a defensive circle and try to just hold on for the time being. Hjalmar watches in dismay as one of the Godsmen lieutenants breaks away from the battle on the flank and marches out and around. They turn the flank and now fall upon the beleaguered militia and quickly take their toll on the dwarves. Bravely, half a dozen dwarves push forward on the flank to hold off the Godsmen long enough for the rest of their comrades to fall back. They sacrifice themselves long enough for the dwarves to fall back to form a schiltrom, a circular hedge hog formation with a wall of pike all around them. Nearly impenetrable now, they are essentially fixed in their position.

As their own right flank is being obliterated by the surging Blood Company on the right flank and more bypassing them on their left, heading towards the mages, the Godsmen forces drive hard around the dwarven flank. First one group makes their turn, than two more. Soon, over a hundred Godsmen, have turned their flank. As hard pressed as the dwarves already were, it was now a race between how fast the dwarven line could be rolled up and how fast the Blood Company could charge their way through the right flank.

[mshady]

The slaads pour through the opening on the left, and the tiefling swordsmen pour the walls of the foundry. The come out in a ragged formation, and gather up as quickly as they can. They have a clear route to the mage circle now, with all of the other troops committed to the battle now. Two mages step out of the circle, leaving five more and the Demios in the center. The two quickly conjure fireballs and send them hurtling towards the gathering tieflings. They explode in the formation, sending bodies of tieflings flying, but having little effect on the slaads. The screams of the tiefling fill the chamber. They follow the fireballs up with two sizzling bolts of lightning. Two slaads are struck down by the lightning bolts, wounding a couple of others and scorching several of the tieflings as well before blowing holes in the masonry behind them.

High above, Sable and Wyatt quickly jury rig their bomb. They lash together, tie up and daisy chain a variety of alchemical bombs, oils and thunderstones. The two work together, creating something both completely absurd and possibly even effective. Below them, the otherwise oblivious mages continue with their chants. Their efforts are concentrated on a circle below them that is carved in runes etched with silver. The floor in the center of it is cracked and caving in now. Black smoke pours from it now as the stone shudders.

While Sable doesn't know much of wizardry, their spell to break the imprisonment seems to be nearing its climax. The shuddering of the floor, the smoke and cracks is a sign they needed to finish things quickly. Quickly they do though. Wyatt hefts it over his head and Sable helps him. Together, the two of them roll the weight into the vortex of wind surrounding the circle. The improvised bomb falls through the wind wall and is cast aside a bit before landing. It lands near the center of the circle with a thunderous crack. Bottles of alchemical fire explode, acid flies about. It burns several of the mages, including the Demios herself. She flies back with unnatural speed as her robe catches on fire as the oil and alchemical fire sprays on her. The waves of blue energy that had emanated from her apprentices and focused on her, that she in turn had poured into a metal stave in the very center of the circle that she stood beside, suddenly stops as the circle is disrupted. A lake of fire now burns on the floor. Robes of flaming tangle foot oil clings to several of the mages like flaming ropes. Several moments after, the Demios snarls and tries to begin the chant again, but it is too late.

The flow of arcane energy suddenly halts, and the metal stave becomes a pillar of blinding blue light that blows a hole in the ceiling of the foundry, not far from where Sable and Wyatt are. The black smoke pouring from the hole in the ground comes to a complete stop. Now a fog of blue smoke rises from ground. Sparks of energy jump from the ground now, and all the mages start to clear away from it in a panic.

Over to their left, tieflings and slaads come rushing towards them. One of the mages conjures an iron wall in the air and drops it on the charging foes. A few of the slaads and tieflings are squashed by the wall, sending red and green blood flying. The scattering mages throw two more fireballs into the teeth of the tieflings, before one of Hextros' lieutenants throws a spell back at them. It kills one of the mages. Red energy rises from his corpses in a puff of smoke, clearly the trace of necromancy.

The Demios meets the charge with spells of her own now. She quickly lays down a Wall of Force, and the galloping slaads slam into the wall, momentarily stunning them. The rest of the mages back up and away from the wall.

"You fools!" the Demios screams up at Sable and Wyatt. "You've no idea what you've done!" She raises her hand thrusts it upwards towards the cat walk. A nearly invisible force sends the platform flying upwards, than the whole length comes crashing down to the ground.

Wyatt and Sable try to get clear or jump away, but neither can run far enough to get off the falling platform. Both of them crash to the ground, falling almost 50 feet to the ground....

<I> Roll me some reflex saves! </I>

[Strangie]

Rolled it with Mike privately. Let's see what happens!

Wyatt shields his eyes from the explosion, his hair and clothes swaying away from the epic action. "Whoohoohoo! Yeah, it worked! I can't believe it worked! Now let's go before..." Before he gets the chance to get very far, the Demios yells out at them and knocks their platform away!

Wyatt isn't fast enough and is sent rocketing away with the platform up into the air. He hangs onto the side tightly as the thing ascends. "Whoa! Crap, not quick enough! Sable, I hope you've got something for 'dis!"

As the thing comes back down, he quickly puts himself on his feet, and waits for the right moment. He slides along the falling platform, and at the right moment he jumps away before it crashes. He rolls across the ground roughly, away from the fire, his high momentum sending him rolling far. It isn't exactly perfect and he gets roughed up quite a bit (unless Sable turned on a Feather Fall for them or something), but he eventually gets onto his feet again, facing toward the Demios with his buckler hand on the ground, legs bent at the knees and his other hand carrying his mace. Having had experience with daredevil jumps in the past, like when he was hurled out of a window by Harold, this was pretty standard fare for Wyatt.

"Whoo... 'dat was a rush... oh, I've got plenty of idea what we've just done. We broke your magic crap, and it's over. You lose. No summoning for you!" He turns to Sable, who is hopefully still standing after that pitfall. "Well, now what?"

[Melody]

Sable laughs with her fingers in her ears as the bomb hits the ground showering mages in burning tanglefoot goo and the thunderclap from fifteen thunderstones interrupts the mage's casting.

She can see Wyatt pumping his fist and speaking out of the corner of her eye as the Demios turns to look up at them both.

Oh Shi.. She's running with Wyatt as the spell rips the platform free of it's moorings and they are both catapulted into the air.

Mentally she forces the weave to take shape around herself and Wyatt and whispers the command as they near the floor. Their feet touch the floor gently and almost in unison.

"Whoo... 'dat was a rush... oh, I've got plenty of idea what we've just done. We broke your magic crap, and it's over. You lose. No summoning for you!" Wyatt turns to Sable. "Well, now what?"

We do what we do best. Sable grins and casts invisibility first on Wyatt and then herself. Lastly she casts a spell to see through invisibility.

[Strangie]

Wyatt fades from view under Sable's magic. "Awright awright, I can work with 'dis. Hey, I got an idea. Meet me back at the 'campground' if you know what I mean."

Wyatt turns about-face and runs as fast as his legs will carry him to the sniper's body, which had fallen from the catwalks. He turns his feet, skidding across the ground, then quickly snatches any crossbow bolt ammo he can off the sniper's corpse, handing both the ammunition and the special crossbow to Sable.

"Here I got somethin' for ya. Let's give the Godsmen a taste of their own medicine, eh? Just to let ya know, I can't see ya, so you're gonna have to tell me where to go..."

[shaddy_24]

Magnum

Magnum pants for breath in the moments after the defeat of the elemental. Then he straightens up and stretches out his neck. "Good fight boys. Grath, Kelith, let's rejoin the fight. Looks like they need a little help up there." Magnum channels as much divine energy as necessary to heal the three of them, taking advantage of the ring they gave him and the potions he brewed up ahead of time.

Approaching the front lines, Magnum notes the pressure being placed on the militia. "I'm gonna go support the lines there. You two do whatever you want from here." He begins to run over towards the fight, but stops before he gets there. "No sense in saving this..." Drawing a small wooden stick, he grins and points towards the encroaching Godsmen. "Let's go, Wand o' the Heavens. For Clangadden!"

A pillar of divine fire engulfs the opponants.

Using all three charges from the Valkyrie Ring to boost healing by 6d6 overall. Using whatever spells and healing necessary.

If using the Wand o' the Heavens won't work for whatever reason, let me know. I'll decide what to do from there.

[Chepe Nolon]

Nega moves inn to look to keep the dwarves alive emphasizing on keeping them alive. With the healing her troops have left they dispatch among the wounded. Nega herself pushes forward to back up the front line on the flank ordering her soldiers to position themselves close to be able to heal quickly. Seeing the slad she curses but understand the necessity of their arrival. She mutter s prayer to Berronar as she yells to encourage the troops.

[mshady]

Magnum, Grathalmor and Kelith

The trio take a moment to catch their collective breath after the battering they took fighting the Godsmen's fire elemental. Both dwarves are badly singed from the combat. Grathalmor moves with a lurch, his knee throbbing in pain. Something simply didn't feel right. Getting hit by an elemental massing several tons did not do good things to you. Magnum is burned pretty badly, with multiple ribs broken in the engagement. The healing magics only go so far. Kelith has taken the fewest wounds, more owing to his natural resistance to fire than anything else.

Their attention quickly moves from recovery and to the smoldering corpse of the elemental to the crisis on the left flank. The militia are hard pressed by the professional Godsmen, who pin the dwarves in place and start to move several units around the corner. Behind them, another unit had brought down the Knights of Moradin and was content with holding them in place and otherwise not letting them get away.

Magnum gets back on his feet and heads toward the flanks. He quickly retrieves his Wand of the Heavens from his case and prepares to use it. He points the wand in the direction of the lead group of Godsmen and wills the wand to unleash its power. He comes to a stop for a moment to engage the wand. Nothing happens for a moment and he looks at the wand with trepidation.

That was when a hole was torn open above the Godsmen and a tower of flames crashes down into the center of the Godsmen formation. The light from it is nearly blinding, and even over a hundred feet away he can feel the heat. Which was about the last thing the singed dwarf wanted to feel...
The result of the spell is catastrophic, however. The whole formation disappears in a blinding light for a moment. When it is gone, fully half of the group is dead and burned. Some writhe on the ground, burning and screaming. For a moment, Magnum almost feels pity for what he had unleashed on those humans. Then he remembers what someone he know had once said in front of him. The Magus Glorian Silvernail...

<i> I burned them alive and blew them away. Men, soldiers, conscripts. Oh well, it's what we do </I>

How he hated that bitch. Apparently that was a common feeling about her. The adage was true enough, though.

The survivors of the group run away in a panic, some with their cloaks on fire. The unit breaks and runs away, away from the fire, the pain and the battle. Seeing the effect, Magnum levers the wand down towards the next group and repeats the process one more time. Two more pillars of flame obliterates two more groups of Godsmen, destroying the flanking units in a conflagration.

Magnum goes to use it again, feeling intoxicated by the power the wand lends him, but he senses that the wand's charges have all been spent. He stows it again and looks at the carnage as he unlimbers <I>Arctis </I> once again and prepares to join the battle himself.

<I> I probably just killed fifty men? A hundred? With three spells? </I> The thought makes him cringe for a moment. So does the next one.

<I> There are half a dozen mages there who can now dedicate their full attention to us... One must be as powerful as Glorian, and I've heard tales of what she's done... </I>

[mshady]

Sable and Wyatt

When the walk way crashed to the floor, the two of them found themselves in close quarters with quite a few very angry mages. While Sable had not been able to use a spell quickly enough to save Wyatt from a hard fall, the agile halfling seemed none the worse for wear for it, to the point it amazed her. The mages themselves seem surprised as well. The Demios glares at them with fury. Her face is marked with green tattoos, but her elven heritage is plain to see.

Before she can obliterate them, Sable casts an invisibility spell in the nick of time. The Demios curses and turns her attention to the onrushing slaads and tiefling, laying down a wall spell that blocks their advance. Working in concert, the other mages unleash a spell that fills the floor with whipping black tentacles, thoroughly checking their progress.

For some reason, that choice puzzled Sable. She would have thought they would try to obliterate the charging mercenaries, and she was half prepared to cheer them on while doing so. Instead, the Demios prepares another powerful spell.

They collectively back peddle from the mage circle they had once been working on, seemingly fearful now.

"You idiots!" the Demios yells, as she moves away now. "Now look what you've done!" she jabs her stave toward the center of the circle, which is now smoking and cracking under the strain of powerful forces.

Suddenly the summoning circle turns into a black vortex, enveloping the stones floor and everything else in existence around its perimeter. Both Sable and Wyatt can feel a gentle tug towards the vortex, as if it was trying to draw them in. They hear a haunting sound now, like someone talking in a wind storm far away. It sounded like laughter. The sound of joyous, manic, laughter.

The whole of the foundry begins to shake now, knocking many soldiers on both sides on their haunches, or at least making them steady themselves from the sudden shaking. Cries of surprise on both sides can be heard at the occurrence.

From the perimeter of the destroyed mage circle comes a shimmering red light that twinkles from the void now. A moment later, it turns into a thunderous beam of energy that is accompanied by a sound not unlike the screech of metal tearing. The blast of energy blows a hole through the roof of the Foundry itself, shooting high into the sky of Sigil.

As the energy fades, something is visible in the torrent of energy. The object seems to materialize in the energy, returning to this realty.

It takes a moment for the energy blast to subside enough for anyone to see what had reappeared. Some kind of demon or other extra planar nastiness?

It was too small for that.

Instead, a black sphere has appeared, with runes glowing an angry yellow. The spheroid floats in the air, and seems to stagger in the air for a moment, before rising high and stabilizing in the air.

Sable and Wyatt look at each other, mouths agape.

The Stoneburner was free from its imprisonment!

[Strangie]

"Uh... did we do... bad?" Wyatt asked Sable. "We broke 'deir incantation. Wasn't 'dat what we were SUPPOSED to do... right? Now what...?"

His first inclination was to turn and run, and not look back. Not that he was getting paid for anything anyway, and not that he probably would at this point. He thought this might have happened no matter what they had done - were the incantation to be disrupted in any fashion, the Stoneburner might have broken free regardless.

"Sable, I've got a feelin' 'dis was a lose-lose situation from the beginning. What do we do...?"

[shaddy_24]

Magnum

Magnum shudders at the moment of heady pride. No. There was no glory in that. I will not take pride in that. He shakes his head fiercely again. I will not be like her!

Looking straight ahead, Magnum continues his march towards the nearly broken militia, moving to support that flank and to try and break out the knights. Carmard relied on me to do this. I will not let him down.

[mshady]

The battlefield was quickly devolving into a formless melee. The whole left flank on both sides was a mess, now. Hextros had even dispatched some of his tieflings to support the dwarves; something that the dwarves desperately needed but it was unwanted help all the same.

The charge of the Slaads and elite swordsmen had been blocked by the Demios and her apprentices. For lack of anything else to do, they tore into the rear of the Godsmen ranks. That quickly turned into a slaughter, as the indomiatable slaads went into a frenzy with tooth and claw, or even the occasional blade. Even the hardened Godsmen heavy infantry wanted no part of that engagement and routed, but not without taking a toll on the slaads. Several lay dead, or as nearly so as a beast with regenerative ability could be.

On the right side, Johannes, Murtak and Yennifer run forward. They try to keep pace with Hextros and his own charge. The impact of the massive Hextros on the battle, maimed though he was, was tremendous. From horse back, he carves his way through an enemy formation that was pressing the dwarves. His own soldiers fill the wedge and quickly send those left alive running. Only a handful of the dwarven militia remain at this point. They had held, but had been mostly killed.

Nega and her Valkyries find themselves face to face with the dog faced Hextros and his minions. It was a severe test not to continue their own attack and engage the fiends and their leader; old habits died hard, but the Planes always made for strange bedfellows.

By this point, Carmard and the Arcanii have managed to join the dwarven group, but there is little room now for their spells to have an effect.

In the very center sits a glowing black and green spheroid. Runes on its surface glow with an angry yellow light now as the red vortex that surronded it once fade. Whatever the energy represented, it seemed to hold the construct in check.

"Thordek! Get the minotaurs and the tomb stones ahead!" Carmard yells out, hoping Thordek can even hear him. "Get to him before he takes the golem!"

[Strangie]

Wyatt glanced around at the ensuing battle - while for the moment they were safe under the cover of invisibility, he knew the battle was coming to a head.

He had heard what Carmard was calling out to Thordek, and decided to take action. He quickly removed the pack of bolts from the sniper's body, handing it and the special crossbow to Sable. "Sable, it's now or never. I think the other troops can handle the lesser mages but I'm not sure about the Demios. Do you think you can take 'er out?"

Once he handed those items off, he glanced down at the sniper's corpse. While he would have loved to loot him for everything else right now, he thought he simply didn't have the time for that. Maybe later.

"What do you want me to do, Sable? I dunno how effective I'll be helping on the front lines. I ain't a dwarf, y'know."

[thorgrim29]

By a miracle, Thordrek, who was taking a 30 second break for his troops to reorganise and take any healing potions they had left, hears Carmard's order. He quickly bellows for to the minotaur carrying the tombstones to come to him and, regardless of the undignified position, hops on one's back, barely holding on as the beatsman charge to the stoneburner

[Melody]

I'll do my best. Sable takes the crossbow and loads it as she murmers under her breath. She sights for a moment as she whispers. Then she lets out a slow breath and squeezes the trigger.

Tymora please let this work , is her last thought as the bolt leaves the crossbow.

Casting true strike and sniper's shot before going for the sneak attack on the Demios. I'll choose whatever bolt looks nastiest to Sable for the shot as she's going for damage here. Also why she's using the crossbow since they historically do more than a shortbow.

[Strangie]

There's also a kickass scope on it, too, so, better to headshot her with. :smallbiggrin:

Wyatt readies himself as Sable shoots with her magically-charged shot, hoping that the special crossbow does the trick against the unsuspecting Demios.

He mutters to himself, "One shot, one kill, come on..."

[mshady]

Having recovered the unknown sniper's rather exotically designed crossbow, Sable hefts it to her shoulder. It's surprisingly heavy, solid and it takes some figuring for her to even use it. Bracing one hand on forward grip, she pushes against it and pulls the lever with the other hand, and frankly it is really hard. The scope itself is a wonder of engineering.

"It's just like being there" Sable thinks to herself. She places the crossbow hairs on the Demios and lets her finger glide over the trigger and she sends a bolt streaking towards the elven Demios.

While the effect of the spell helps guide the shot, the unexpected thud of the shot throws off the aim of the shot slightly.

Instead of spearing the Demios in the head, the shot instead strikes her in the hip. The effect is immediate; toppling the Demios as she cries out in anguish.

Sable only has a moment of elation before something surprising happens.

Free of red cone of energy surrounding it, the stoneburner glows an angry yellow. The spinning runes stop in a forward position and blazes brightly as it draws the power to unleash a spell.

With a peel of thunder, the stoneburner unleashes not so much a spell but raw spell fire itself. The power is enough to blind Sable and Wyatt, along with anyone else looking at it.

Except the power is not directed at the dwarves, but the Godsmen.

The barrel sized ray of energy rips through most of a formation of Godsmen, utterly vaporizing dozens of the soldiers that had been protecting the Demios.

Watching the scene, Carmard looks at Buna with a look of confusion and shock.

"What in Moradin's name is going on?" Carmard asks, more to the air than to Buna.

The other Arcanii looks in shock as well.

"Well he always was supposed to kill 'veryone, right?" she says, and shrugs.

The runes on the stoneburner whip around behind it, focusing on the crippled Demios.

"You!" the thunderous voice booms. "You imprisoned me! Me!" it roars. "You call yourselves Godsmen, but when a God comes to you, you fight yourselves and try to destroy me!"

The disembodied voice of the stoneburner shakes the building, such is its manic ferocity.

A spell flies out from the hands of an apprentice, rocking the stoneburner. The bolt of lightning that slammed into it spins the Stoneburner for a moment, but it rights itself and it sends one of its runes sweeping in the direction of its assailants.

With a blinding flash of light accompanied by a frightful scream, one of the Demios' apprentices is turned to ash by the spell.

"Insect!" roars Bauruk, as it returns its attention to the Demios laying on the ground before it. "Ye be a special insect! A bug in my jar!" he says, and cackles. Once again, the runes flash and this time a sphere forms around the fallen Demios. Wrapped in a cage of energy, she is helpless to escape it.

"I defeated you once. You're a failure and an imposter, but we won't let you usurp your place! Kill me, but our Factol will stop you!" she yells back at the deadly spheroid floating before her.

"Your dead factol?" Barauk sneers. "I'm no usurper. I am your belief fulfilled!" he snaps. "Some of ye saw that, and know being friends of a God has its rewards! With your factories and my mages, we can make more like me and take that path of ascension where they will serve under me and throw down flesh thing or God in our way!"

Behind them, the sizzling sound of fireballs can be heard.

A total of six fireballs can be heard ripping through the air, into the rear of the dwarven and Blood Company lines. Three explode into the rear of Hextros' own company, turning the air red with light and flame from the overlapping effects. The other three hit the center, left and right of the dwarven lines, felling many of the dwarves.

Standing in the gateway stands the Demios that had invited the dwarves in, with his apprentices arrayed next to him. Dozens of his elite personal guards stand at the ready, preparing to fire crossbows into the rear of the dwarven and mercenary line.

After such a powerful display by the stoneburner, the Godsmen that had been fighting the dwarves with such ferocity, have now all disengaged and run for whatever exit they can find.

Picking himself off the floor, Carmard growls out the worst curse in the dwarven language.

"Belderak!" he exclaims, using the dwarven word for betrayal.

Around him, several dead dwarves litter the ground. Others are badly burned and maimed.

[Strangie]

Wyatt frowns as the shot goes off. "Hey, nice shot, but you were supposed to brain her. I don't think-"

Suddenly, the stoneburner explodes with its primal rage, staggering the halfling and blinding him. "Ah, what the hell was 'dat?! I can't see anything!"

His finely tuned hearing lets him pick up on all the action though, and he hears the conversations between Barauk and the elven Demios. "Man... Sable, what did we go and do...?"

He rubs his eyes, trying to get his vision to clear. He turns his head toward the sound of fireballs, whether it does or not eventually. He squints in the direction of the Demios who had been sitting at the planning table, and hears Carmard uttering his dwarven curse, which he understands.

"Belderak is right, that sniveling bastard thought he'd sandwich us between this Demios and his own troops..." He spits on the ground, shaking his head to clear the spots from his eyes as he mutters his own curse in Halfling. "Feh. 'Halflings don't know anything about the art of war', he says? He's going to learn otherwise, the very hard way," he says through gritted teeth as he clutches his mace in his free hand.

He turns to Sable, who has hopefully regained enough sense by now to see what's going on. "Sabe, you awright? The Demios' forces cleared but the one who let us in is a backstabbin' snake in the grass. What the hell are we supposed to do now?"

[Melody]

Sable blinks the tears out of her eyes and responds. Depends where Carmard's troops are. If they're clear of them we can drop the traps down on the Godsmen. One thing webs can't tolerate is fire. That will burn through what's anchoring them to the ceiling and drop the whole mess down on their heads. I'd also say we should free the Demios somehow, but seeing as I just shot her I'm kinda hoping that Carmard and the tombstones can see to the stoneburner. Maybe while it's distracted trying to kill her he can get them up to the front.

Other than that, keep your eyes open for any opportunities that come our way.

[thorgrim29]

Astounded by what he hears, Thordrek nearly lets go of his "mount", however he holds on, continuing towards the stoneburner while promising bloody revenge.

[Chepe Nolon]

Nega seeing the dire situation fights to keep her calm and to keep her troops focused on healing and staying a live. In a moment of torment she prays to her goddess for the strength to keep herself worthy in her eyes.

[mshady]

Thordek and Nega

"What in Berronar's name are ye doing, lad?" First Mace Nega Silverhammer yells out to Thordek, the commander of this battle. While a massively powerful artifact going wild was one thing, this offended her dwarfish senses utterly.

On the back of a minotaur, Thordek rides perched on its back. He holds on to a horn with one hand and waves his axe and bellows orders. The remaining minotaurs, having already seen hard battle and weary for it, are forming a tight wedge.

"Nega! Follow me into this! Keep the minotaur's alive and keep up going forward! We have to get close enough to drop the tomb stone!" he yells down at her.

She looks up at the bloodied minotaur with a dwarf riding on its shoulders and shakes her head.

"No. Ye get down from there ye silly lad! You look ridiculous riding a cow!" she says stubbornly, ignoring the battle.

The minotaur looks down at her and growls, but it doesn't even distract her as she point to the floor to emphasize her point.

"Yes, have dwarf get down and ride you instead" the big bull growls to Nega. It immediately earns the minotaur a kick in the shin with an armored boot and a chastising look, sending it and Thordek wobbling. Several of the other minotaurs laugh, including Gore and Kerik. On his belt are several of the heads he has taken, along with several other trophies.

"I need to see!" Thordek snaps. "See and open the case. That be all that matters" Thordek replies. "Now get in front or get out!" he orders.

Accepting her orders, if not accepting a dwarf riding anything let alone a minotaur, Nega orders her troops to move in.

Turning, Thordek points his black axe towards the Levtokuld and gets their attention.

"Levtokuld to the rear. Bring use your fire against the other Demios! It's belderak and we're caught in the middle!"

The twenty levtokuld immediately turn away and start heading towards the rear. Each levtokuld could cast a spell to cast balls of flame towards an enemy. All of them unleashing that could be devastating; if their foes were not protected from fire.

Floating twenty feet above the battlefield, the Stoneburner is now wreathed in a blue haze of angry fire. The central rune spins around, casting the white shimmering spheres on the running apprentices of the half elven Demios. Like bugs in a jar, they flail about in their cages and are utterly helpless.

The time when the dwarves were not attracting its attention quickly came to an end quickly though.

The runes twist in the direction of the running Godsmen and shimmering waves of hazy blue energy roll out towards them. The effect of it immediately stops them in the track, and they turn back towards the way they came.

With suddenly numb, calm faces, almost two hundred Godsmen suddenly end their route in ragged groups. Not bothering with exposition, the Stoneburner enthralls groups of soldiers and sends them right back at the dwarves...

Nalrak, Magnum, Kelith and Grathalmor Join...

"Hey boss" comes a familar voice from the battlefield. "Need a hand? Seems like ye already have a bearer" the voice says. Both dwarves laugh.

Standing in front of Thordek are the Ironfist cousins, Nalrak and Grathalmor. Just behind them stands Kelith. His chain is wrapped over his back and it glows faintly from the enchanted burned into it by the last time they encountered the stoneburner. The cleric, Magnum, is there as well. All look bloody and beaten from their various fights so far.

"Figured you needed us more than the troopers did" Nalrak offers, in terms of explanation for leaving his troops. "It's all a scrum now. Looked like ye were going to be doin' the last push, one way or the other"

[mshady]

Sable, Wyatt, Johannes, Yennifer and Murtak

Having watched Hextros' brutal mercenaries engage the Godsmen, and quickly gain the upperhand, Johannes and Yennifer both agree their work on that flank was done.

Having drove off the entire right flank of Godsmen conscripts, sending them running for doors and passageways, they had been a great boon to the dwarves in their attack. While the merits of that attack seemed in question, they had helped in nonetheless. The explosion in the spell circle confused them, but the sudden falling of the cat walks to the ground let them know the cause of it: Sable and Wyatt.

The trio quickly move in their direction, leaving the rear of the mercenary formation before the fireballs from the other Demios were hurled into the rear of Hextros' formation.

"The dwarves are attacking us!" many of the mercenaries yell out, surprised by the sudden attack that had slain several of their numbers.

High atop his massive nightmare mount, Hextros sends his greatsword swooping down at a Godsmen as the man turns to flee. His nightmare blows smoke from its nostrils, hiding Hextros' position from the front. He wheels the horse around and sends a boot flying into the head of one of his troopers, sending the soldier to the ground.

"You stupid mongrel! It came from rear! All the damn Godsmen are trying to kill us! Turn around and get them! I'll use their heads as a chalice!" he thunders at them. Hextros plows ahead through his troops and tries to send them in a charge towards the mages. In his left hand, he holds out a talisman with several glowing, white pearls.


"I wouldn't want to be those Godsmen when they get there" Yennifer remarks, as they move forward towards Sable and Wyatt.

It doesn't take them long to get there as the two gather themselves and look about.

Yennifer watches the Stoneburner with wide eyes, along with a shocked Johannes and Murtak.

"Its enthralling all those soldiers and sending them back. Please tell me you dwarves can stop that, yes?"

Murtak looks at her and shrugs helplessly.

They all turn their attention to Sable and Wyatt now, having taken in the changing scene from their new vantage point.

"So, we're walking around trying to find someone with a plan" Yennifer says with a carefree tone to Sable. "I think everyone else with an idea just died. You have one?"

[thorgrim29]

My pride can handle a bit o' bruising if it'll save what's left of our army Nega, I needed speed and to see what was going on. Now then, everyone who's not too busy sittin' on yer hands, let nothing stop you, and protect the minotaurs with your lives if necessary, GO!!!!

Thordrek points at the stoneburner and jumps back to the ground, he rushes ahead, hoping the troops behind him will follow

[Chepe Nolon]

" Now you got me protecting cows like a friggin h'erder. Well you h'eard da lad we're on cow duty" "GET INTO RANKS THORDEK NEEDS HIS COWS FER RIDING LATER SO KEEP EM SAFE!!" Nega Smiles at the minotaur and gathers her troops.
THIS BETTER BE WORTH IT!! she yells after thordek as he runs forward.

[mshady]

*bump* Feel free to throw some posts in, folks! *bump*

[shaddy_24]

Magnum

Magnum grins, though it comes out as more of a grimace. "Let's go everyone. One final push ta shut down this heathen!"

Casting one more spell on himself (divine power, if I haven't given it up for healing yet), he sprints forward with the rest of them to help Thordek punch through to the stone burner.

[mshady]

Standing far to the right flank, Sable and her companions watch the stoneburner blaze in the air as it looms over the battlefield. The remaining Godsmen, now enthralled by the stoneburner, have moved forward to block the dwarves from their advance. With their flanks collapsed, the remaining dwarves have consolidated and taken up positions on the right and left of Thordek's group. Iron Order, militia and Forgemark are all in a conglomerate now. Desperately, they try to beat off the attacks of the now more organized Godsmen as their sergeants try to reorder their ranks on the move. Every foot forward is paid for in blood for the two combatants.

In front of the formation, Nega and her soldiers lead the way with the assistance of the deadly minotaurs. Falling maces and terrible, swift swords and axes pave the way forward now. Having now earned its full attention, the stoneburner lets loose a fist sized beam of raw energy right at one minotaurs. The beam hits it squarely in the skull, which promptly explodes most gruesomely. The minotaur falls over to the ground, limp and dead. The minotaurs reply by hefting throwing axes and hurling them at the stoneburner. A few clang off its hull, but it is impervious to the damage. This time, two runes blaze and fell another minotaur, along with one of the Silver Shields before it rakes across the ground, amputating another female dwarf's legs.

"Do somethin', Thordek!" several of the dwarves call out as the runes begin to blaze once more. Two more dwarves are slain or maimed a moment later.

[thorgrim29]

How far are we from the stoneburner and what's the area of effect on the tombstones?

[Katasi]

Arum, unsure of what to do and completely confused by all the twists and turns in the battle, sends his golem into the nearest group of opponents, attacking at random.

Arum is in the room and still controlling a golem right? I'm a bit lost

[Strangie]

"Well, 'dis kinda sucks. Too bad, I'm fresh outta ideas. We did our part, only thing I can think of is helping fight 'dese stragglers. I don't carry a mace and shield for nothin', yeah?"

hey guys, I'm using my friend's android to write this. I'll be back Monday!

[mshady]

Well, comic book rules with distance, but I envision it as you are about 100 yards (an American football field) away from the Stoneburner.

In terms of how the tomb stone works, it will nullify magic within its radius. It represents a negative magic charge, while it casing is a positive magic charge. The further away from the tombstone you are, the wider its radius.

The problem is, as explained in "Tombstones for Dummies: The abbridged version", is that it nullifies magic. It's not a dead magic zone. The closer it is to what you want to nullify, the more effective it will be.

Not such a big deal for nullifying basic effects, +1 weapons, etc. It is for shutting down something like the Stoneburner.

As for radius... for every 20 feet away from it you move, its radius expands 10 feet.

So not only do you have to get it close, you have to make sure the Stoneburner doesn't run out of that radius.

Enjoy!

[mshady]

Before I continue, I need to know how you wish to proceed agains the Stoneburner. Any sort of description of tactics, now that we've discussed the mechanics? Charge on it, or something else? Any plans to disguise your approach from Barauk?

[Melody]

Well, the only idea I had about the Godsmen was to set fire to the webbing holding the traps up. Should destroy the anchors and let them drop. However, it depends on exactly who is standing under them.

As far as the Stoneburner, we have to get it sandwiched in between the anti magic fields generated by the tombstones. That will nullify the magic it can cast. Hmm, maybe an illusion of that angry female dwarf that made him? Maybe we can lure it into a trap or something? Sable looks at Johannes and Wyatt with a questioning look, then grimaces as she looks over at the ruined spell circle.

Yennifer, you should go see if you can rouse that mage that was trying to imprison the stoneburner before I interrupted. I'd do it, but she's already tried to kill Wyatt and me. Figure she's got less immediate reason to want to obliterate you. She sighs and runs a hand through her hair, pushing back some of the strands that have worked their way free of her ponytail. I think that's all the ideas I have at the moment.

[Strangie]

"Hey 'dat might work! For a little bit, anyway... if you plant the illusion far enough away, we might be able to get him closer to the tombstone... maybe?" Wyatt said with a shrug.

[mshady]

Shock and Awe - Carmard and Arum

Towards the rear, Carmard and his four Arcanii have taken cover around fallen gangways and machinery to take cover from the traitorous Godsmen. Of course, Carmard reflects, he had no idea which of the Godsmen factions actually were the actual traitors, if they both were or neither were and they were just caught in the middle. At the moment, he did not really care either.

"So..." says one of the Arcanii to Carmard, "ye ready?"

Carmard nods slightly and looks around the tipped over kilns. Fires boil in from of them from the fireballs and combustibles on the ground. Some of those burning in front of them are the corpses of Godsmen, undead and dwarves alike.
Behind the Arcanii sit all of the Levtokuld under Thordek's command. They sit in a cluster, behind whatever cover they can find, waiting impatiently although their faces are hidden under their helmets. The most senior of the Levtokuld, Loenhard Bucklebar, conjures a crackling globe of fire in his hand and tosses the half formed fiery apparition between his hands with impatience.

Forward and to the left, one of the remaining arbalesters lays prone and looks through a battered optical sight on his crossbow at the opposing Demios.

"Like ye thought, more 're coming down the tunnels" the arbalester rasps. "That what yer wait'n for?"

The crackle of a barrage of fireballs can be heard once again. Two of the beads of fire streak over their position and explode above the dwarven forces advancing down the center against the stoneburner. With the fallen equipment the other Godsmen had strewn together for cover, they no longer have a direct line of sight and do their best. The result is that the fireballs hurt both dwarven and Godsmen forces, although these mages may have little issue.

Two more of the red streaks slam directly into the charging formation of Blood Company soldiers. They explode with a vengeance, but short. At the lead of the charge is Hextros himself, carrying a unusual looking rod that spat out balls or azure light that snuffed out the fireballs before they reached their targets.
"Hah!" roars Hextros in defiance. The charge closes in.

"Look at th..." was all the arbalester is able to get out before the last fireball lands. This one hits right by the ill fated crossbowmen. He flails about in flames for a moment, hopelessly consumed by the unusual fire. A moment later, Carmard raises his crossbow and calmly places a bolt into the doomed dwarf's skull, ending his pained death throes.

Several of the others look at him in shock and surprise, but none say anything and neither does he.

The sound of horns and approaching soldiers can be heard in the tunnels now, and the first start streaming out of the tunnel. Carmard looks back at his soldiers, arcanii, levtokuld and arbalester with a look of significance for a moment before nodding. All of the dwarves tense, ready for the command.

"Go!" he yells.

The Levtokuld contingent, lead by Loenhard, charge forward and into the open. Their crossbows clank once, sending twenty bolts flying at the Demios and his apprentices in a barrage. Some sort of spell protects them, but the sudden attack and the wounding of two of the apprentices comes as a rude shock.

The next shock was even worse.

In the hands of each levtokuld, globes of brilliant fire suddenly blaze to life. They are joined by an unusually dress gnome on an armored badger with a mad look on his face. Globes of fire glow to life on a string and blazing beads levitate into the air as Arumfaerwed prepares to use his devastating Blast Globes.

Together, a sudden barrage of fire hurtles towards the surprised mages. Several of them are struck, and one of the apprentices goes down in a flaming heap as the balls of fire and the wave front of the first blast globe rocks the group. Several of the elite bodyguards are also thrown to the ground, most dead from the blast. The elemental spells mostly protect the mages and their protectors, but the dwarven attack is just too much for their wards.

Their spells spent, the levtokuld fall back as quickly as they appeared. In their place stands Carmard and his five Arcanii, along with Arum.

Four of the Arcanii, as well as Arum, send fiery seeds streaking right back at the Godsmen as they pour out of the tunnels. Somehow, one of the mages manages to counter spell one of the fireballs but the rest rip through the Godsmen lines with a vengeance. Most of the guards are wounded, and some are slain, but clearly they have some sort of inherent resistance to fire.

As the flames clear, Carmard completes the plan by sending is own fireball streaking down range. This kernel of flames is significantly larger and it streaks over the heads of the Godsmen, through the now opened gate and into the tunnel where columns of Godsmen are.

Than it explodes, with a tremendous radius thanks to the senior Arcanii's practiced metamagical techniques at expanding the area of the blast. It's just enough to ignite all of the webbing holding enormous trap set by the other Godsmen.

Barrels of oil, alchemical fire and other combustibles fall from the ceiling like an avalanche. Flames immediately rise to the top of the tunnel, turning into a passage fit for the most fearsome of hells.

There was no way to tell how many of the traitorous Godsmen were in that tunnel. No one ever would be able to tell either.

As the last of Arum's erratically targeted blast globes rips through the remaining enemy formation, Carmard stands and watches what happens next to the survivors.

The remaining Godsmen come face to face with a very angry Blood Company. Hextros arrives first, bowling over soldiers and quickly finding himself in the midst of the enemy formation. With shocking speed, his greatsword sings through the air and he fells three soldiers in moments with his sword. His horse claims two more, one with its hooves and another as it tears the throat from a soldier with its needle sharp teeth.

The rest of the mercenaries arrive and quickly grind down the survivors, cutting through them with cold rage and bloody efficiency as they press the disordered ranks.

An apprentice and the Demios himself, his bright yellow and gray robes making him unmistakable, flee from the scrum at a dead run. Carmard quickly directs his Arcanii to the pair, and four of them send a storm of magic missiles at the apprentice. Carmard does so as well, but at the Demios himself. The one apprentice is hammered to the ground and does nothing more than twitch. The Demios is staggered for a moment by the spell, but continues to stumble away.

Until Carmard's hammer struck the Demios' leg. The throwing hammer struck him unerringly, breaking the Demios' leg. He falls to the ground, screaming and clutching his limp and broken leg.

Satisfied with his throw, Carmard waits for the hammer to return to him and then points towards the fallen Demios.

"Loenhard! Take an Arcanii and two of your dwarves and bring him back" Carmard orders sternly. "Keep'em alive. That one needs a good talking to"
"Har! Pleasure be that!" Loenhard replies. The Levtokuld gathers two of his own Order and an Arcanii and they run towards the Demios. It doesn't take them too long to get there and to start roughly dragging the Demios back. The last of the Godsmen are cut down by Hextros and his forces, who are now taking heads of the most gravely wounded and making prisoners of the rest.

"I knew I liked that plan" one of the Arcanii says, laughing somewhat at the result.

[Strangie]

Wyatt watches the carnage unleashed by Carmard's forces, and winces a bit when his hammer strikes the backstabbing Demios' leg. "Well, well, I guess 'dat takes care of 'dat. Hey. Are we doing somethin' here or what? Joh? Sable? Anybody have -anything- we can do to be useful here?"

[thorgrim29]

Thordrek dodges a blow, brains his attacker and, finding a moment of calm in the chaos, asks his companions what they think thy can do.

I'm open to suggestions people... We could take the covers off the tombstone, it'll free these guys from Barauk's mind control, but then he'll just 'port away before we can get to him, but the longer we wait the more he can batter us down, he may even extend his control to us given time.

[mshady]

"I have an idea" Johannes says, as he watches the Stoneburner blast the melee with another strike of azure fire, slaying dwarf and Godsmen alike.

"Really? You goin' to explain 'his one or just let it fly?" Murtauk replies tartly. "I'll do what I can"

A moment later, Murtak moves his hands through the motions necessary to conjure a new spell. His hands crackle with lightning for a moment before he sends a long bolt of lightning hurtling down range. It hits the enthralled Godsmen formation in the side and tears through the ranks with dramatic effect, killing numerous Godsmen.

"Anytime, lad" he growls. "Like to know if 'm supposed to be doin' that"

"What do you have in mind, John?"

"Show'n her something she hates. The one who put him in there"

"So? Who's that?" Yennifer asks,

"Glorian!" Johannes, Murtak and Sable both say in unison, remembering the loathed-if-not-hated master of the Arcanii, the Silver Rune Glorian Silvernail.

The two share a smile between each other.

Johannes steps forward and gathers what he needs to begin the spell. The quick chant begins and a Johannes begins to weave a new illusion from his detailed memories of what Glorian looked and sounded like.

As he concentrates, a thin blue haze forms further out into the battle field and the illusion takes form. Now, he had to control the illusion.

When he opened his eyes, Johannes is looking at his visage of Glorian.

The illusion of her stands almost 5 feet tall, with blue hair streaked with silver. The illusion looks back at Johannes so he can make sure he has the face right. It is the same pinched face and weathered skin he remembered, along with the permanent scowl and always present glare he remembered. Her raiment includes her characteristic blue and white plate mail and robes. She carries a silver axe etched in gold and gems, along with an image of an old and powerful stave that blazes with energy.

The illusion turns back towards the Stoneburner and calls out to it.

"Hey!" the illusion of Glorian calls out to it. "My, how does a traitor run! All the way to Sigil. Did you think I'd nay find you and bring ye to heel like a good dog should?" she sneers at the Stoneburner. Her derisive laugh rolls out with perfect condescension. The furiously glowing orb turns its runes in the direction of the familiar voice.

"You!" the voice of Barauk booms out from inside the stoneburner. "Now I can kill you and Carmard both! I'll kill ye both for making me this, in thanks!"

"Well here I am, coward!" the illusion of Glorian barks at her nemesis. "You actually thought ye had to become a God to kill me? Should I be laugh'n at that or be impressed by my own fearsome reputation that ye actually thought ye needed to do that? Compensat'n much? Can you even do THAT anymore?" she laughs. "Do yer worst, ye nasty little steam kettle!"

A roar of frustration and anger blasts out from the Stoneburner, as all three runes align and they send another blast of pure arcane spellfire roaring in the direction of the illusion of Glorian. The three spikes of energy are far stronger than what had been used before, for these carve deep craters in the floor and explode the stonework, sending fragments all over.

"You dwarves are mad.." Yennifer reflects.

"That the best ye can do?" the illusion of Glorian yells back, standing behind the craters.

The reply is another blast of energy that howls through the air.

"They better be quick 'bout it" Murtak grumbles. "When that thing figures it out, I nay want to be near ye, Johannes!"

[Strangie]

"Who in the what now?" Wyatt says, but waves his hand dismissively. "Actually, save it for later, we don't really have time. Good work, Joh."

He glances around quickly, looking to Sable. "Man. I can't believe 'dat actually worked. We oughta try and pitch an alchemy bomb siege weapon to the dwarves later, but 'dat's for later. What do we do now? You're in charge, 's far as I'm concerned. I'm more inclined to get clear from this place and maybe find a safe way to help out. You might be able to use 'dat sniper crossbow and help pick off attackers to help clear the way for the others, unless you have a better idea..."

[thorgrim29]

Glorian's here, that can't be right... Oh well, gift dire boar's mouth and all that

As the stoneburner was distracted by what to Thordrek looked like Glorian, the soldiers around his group seemed less organized, he strongest willed of them almost shaking off Barauk's spell. Seeing an opportunity, Thordrek orders a push.

All right, it's distractedgive it all you've got left men, this could be our last chance

[shaddy_24]

Magnum

Magnum's hackles rise as he hears Glorian start yelling towards Barauk. However, he does take comfort in the fact that the traitor immediately turns and starts fighting with her. "Maybe the two of them will kill each other, and we won't have ta worry about either of them anymore!"

He pushes forward with the others, leading the fight where he can, and supporting the others with the few spells he had remaining.

[Melody]

I knew you could do it Joh. Well, actually I had just been hoping really hard that you could, but still I'm awed and amazed and all of that.

Sable looks around at the terrain. I can't see any way we can immobilize the stoneburner to make it easier to catch him unless we drop some rocks down on it from above. Though that may divert it's attention from our illusion. She taps her chin. Good or bad? It might keep him from figuring out he's been tricked for a bit or might pull him away from trying to kill Glorian. Nah, it's unlikely he'd attack anything else. I mean, even I wanted to take a few shots at her and I only met her for a candlemark at most. Can we bring some rocks down on it without bringing the whole cavern down Murtak? Or perhaps slow it down in some other way?

She turns and looks at Johannes' leather clad companion. Yennifer, please go and see if you can revive that female Demios. I'll trust you to be persuasive enough to keep her from trying to kill Wyatt and I until this has been resolved.

As for us Wyatt, you will protect Johannes. Keep anyone from getting too close to him so that his illusion isn't disrupted in any way. I'll try to give cover to those carrying the tombstone and or Carmard with my bow depending on who seems to need it more. Tymora smiles on us, let us finish this while we may. So saying she raises her shortbow to her cheek and looks for her first target.

[Strangie]

"Awright, you can count on me!" Wyatt says with a grin, gesturing to himself with his thumb, holding his buckler up and his mace on his shoulder.

He glances toward Johannes. "Looks like I'm on guard duty again. I'm no dwarven knight but I'll do my best to spot trouble and try to intercept 'em for ya. Just keep doin' your thing, Joh."

He turns his eyes toward the battle raging between the stoneburner, the fake Glorian, and the dwarves and Godsmen troops. "... and with any luck, we'll be back on the road soon..."

[Chepe Nolon]

Thorderk!! Whats the word are we still be herders?!!.
Nega looks to her troops. Yells more dwarven battle calls and listens for Thorderks answers. She is tense and feels the blood steaming she never was held back in a fight before, its madenning.
Her red hair stands electric and her beard is curled.

[mshady]

As Bauruk's Stoneburner casing throws out crackling waves of spell energy in an almost uncoordinated fury at the visage of Glory, the mage dodges away from several of the strikes. In a moment of respite, the illusion casts a spell creating a mirror image of herself, further frustrating Barauk's furious attacks.

It seems like the dwarf is toying with the stoneburner, and the exertion seems to be making it glow hot from the power it had been throwing. Not that it appeared to be slowing it down in any ways.

The ring of sarcastic laughter rings out over the desperate battle field.

"You really think that we'd be stupid enough to put the soul of a convicted villain into a massively powerful magical object without some sort of contingency plan? Har!" she says mockingly. "You can't hurt me; I'd never give that kind of power to ye and not make myself immune to it?"

Barauk's response is to throw another bolt of spellfire down range, and this time it hits Glorian solidly with no effect.

"See?" she laughs. "The only reason ye weren't shut down sooner tis that I was tied up in the ribcage. Now I'm offer'n ye a choice" she says. In her hand, she brandishes a large rod of ivory and onyx that glows faintly.

This time, the stoneburner holds its fire. Ignoring the desperate battle before it, its entire focus is on Glorian now.

"I can either use this rod here and set off some o'those glowstones in you. Ye explode, yer soul's annihilated. Or ye can surrender now." she states.

"Surrender to ye?" Barauk asks, and laughs. "I surrendered to ye once, and ye did this to me!" the voice booms.

That comment throws Johannes for a moment, even disturbs him, but ever the impresario, continues with his pantomime.

" That's the past" Glorian says abruptly. "You can surrender now, and your soul will be released to whatever afterlife you deserve. Perhaps you'll be made a demon lord for your heinous crimes. Maybe ye can even come after me again someday in whatever vile form ye take next. But if you force me to destroy you, there will be nothing left. You will go to oblivion. Either you can force me to destroy you in one last act of spite, or you can go on" she says, and pauses.

"The choice is yours"

Barauk hovers in the air for a moment, but his stoneburner form blazes with crackling magical energy, wreathing him in an angry halo.

"Destroy me and ye destroy yerself! Ha! I know you too well! You'd never destroy yerself to take me. You go on and on, while others perish in your wake!"

"Remember how I said I was immune?" Glorian says, and laughs.

"Now that's the Glorian I remember!" Barauk pronounces. "See if yer immune to this!"

All three runes suddenly blast upwards into the ceiling of the Great Foundry, over Glorian's head. Stone explodes and the whole structure groans for a moment, before tons of stone and metal fall to the ground, burying the visage of Glorian.

[Strangie]

Wyatt winces somewhat from the booming voice, but he keeps his ground. When Barauk plunges Glorian under a pile of rock, though, he scratches his head quickly, frowning. "Oh, man, 'kay 'dis not look good here, um... would 'dis 'Glorian' be able to dodge 'dat?!?"

[Gorgondantess]

Saw it coming a mile away. I told you Joh was preparing for that.:smalltongue:
As the ceiling is collapsing over Glorian, she just shrugs and blinks away in a puff of light as soon as it has almost overtaken her. A hummingbird might've not noticed it.
As Barauk is no doubt gloating, she appears, floating behind him not 10 feet away.
"I'm a mage, Barauk, remember? Mage. I do magic. Ye aren't really so self absorbed ye believe the whole of my power is only in relation to yerself, are ye?"
She floats away a bit, clapping her hands together and drawing them apart, and as she does so, she begins glowing with magical light.
"You want to dance, then? Let's dance. I haven't had this much fun in years."
She smirks, waiting for him to make the first move.

[mshady]

"Enough dancing!" Barauk roars. This time, instead of throwing a torrent of spell fire, a crackling burst of white energy explodes from the runes and hits the visage of Glorian with a power dispelling dweomer.

...and then she disappeared.

"Where...?" is all Barauk says in confusion. His runes dart around, searching for where his hated tormentor

The stoneburner sends three bolts of spell fire stabbing into the rubble below, destroying stone and masonry, but little else.
"Where is she??" it demands.

"Now what?" Murtak asks incredulously. "Who's idea was it to make it madder?"

During its distraction, Thordek and Nega had made good use of the time.

Foot by bloody foot, the dwarves and ground their way forward and split the Godsmen lines. The most effective, however, were the minotaurs. While the dwarves were stout and effective warriors, the more modestly armored but indomitable minotaurs cut down the enthralled Godsmen. They cleared the way forward for the dwarven advance as best they could, but lost one of their numbers in the process.

"Dwarves!" roars Barauk, who sends a wild spray of energy towards them, maiming dwarf, minotaur and Godsmen. Far closer than before, they can practically throw rocks at the stoneburner.

Once again, the runes blaze as Barauk charges them for the next onslaught.

Close enough to have a go at it, some of the dwarves throw grenades of alchemical fire at the stoneburner but have little effect. Two manage to hit it directly, but the goo simply burns and the runes continue to blaze.
Suddenly, the Godsmen fighting along the dwarven front drop dead by the dozens. A red haze fills the air there, along with the death screams of the men and an otherworldly scream from the spell itself.

In front of them now is an open path forward.

Standing not far away is Volkros, the Yugoloth lieutenant of Hextros. Holding a bloody and wicked looking sword and covered in robes and chainmail, he thrusts his hand in the direction of the dwarves and suddenly the whole area is blanketed in darkness.

Every few seconds, the yugoloth blots out part of the area with his darkness spells.

"Get it out now!" Thordek bellows, ordering the minotaurs carrying the tombstones to drop their payloads finally.

Nega's paladins and other soldiers, along with a mixed bag of others, quickly close ranks between the remaining Godsmen and the vulnerable minotaurs.

Packs thump on to the ground and the tops are pried open and upended before the black and green streaked orbs roll out of their cases. Immediately, those closest feel a bone chilling cold without the temperature changing as the tombstone's anti magic effect begins.

Motioning towards Arum and Arman, Thordek orders the two iron golems forward from atop the back of another minotaur. Nearly unscathed, they move forward with smooth, mechanical movements and at the mage's orders, each golem takes a tombstone in hand. Unaffected by the anti-magic force as a golem was actually an elemental spirit, they move quickly move forward. Plowing through the Godsmen towards the stoneburner, they widen the distance between themselves as they move to create an overlapping field of anti magic to ensnare and neutralize the hopefully blinded Barauk.

With their own magic neutralized, Thordek orders the dwarves to fall back quickly. The two minotaurs lead the way, distancing the cases from the tombstones and widening the tombstone's effect.

To stop any pursuit, Nega's Valkyries form a rear guard now to keep the enthralled Godsmen away from the rest of their beleaguered troop. They are joined by Thordek, Magnum, Nalrak, Kelith, Grathalmor, Arum and Arman. The small rear guard is pressed heavily... then they suddenly stop in their tracks.

"What happened?" one of them asks in confusion.

The effect of the enthrallment had suddenly ended on the remaining Godsmen, in additional to neutralizing everyone else's magic.

[Strangie]

Wyatt had been watching Johannes' back during the illusion, and was relieved nobody came by to give them a hard time.

Everything had happened so quickly. The tombstones were out of their bags, and the plan was set into motion, to capture the stoneburner that he and Sable had inadvertantly cut loose with their jury-rigged alchemy bomb. Before he could join his allies in the fight to hold the line, everything had suddenly stopped when the magic in the area went dead from the tombstones.

He rubbed his forehead, wincing a little. "... Well, 'dat was kinda anticlimactic, don't ya think? Did 'dey get 'em? I can't tell through all of 'dis darkness. I think maybe we should probably get out of here and regroup with the others, 'dough, don't ya think, guys...?"

[Melody]

Sable quietly casts a spell and her eyes turn black.

I'll let you know if anything happens.

Casting Ebon Eyes.

[Chepe Nolon]

"Magicks 'appened lad now be sturdy dis smells foul. I'ate to wit'draw but its got to be done. Everyone keep vigilante. Remember da smell of 'em."

After finally enjoying some battle Nega stays alert to keep her troops inline and under caution. She nudges Thordek and and says" These sheep of your's sure do the trick"

[thorgrim29]

(Hey, what happens to a handy haversack or a bag of holding in an anti-magic zone?)

Quick version? We were tricked into attacking you, then you were enthralled by the stoneburner, and our efforts to rectify the situation freed you, if you want revenge, help us press forth, if not get out of our way

[Strangie]

(The contents become unavailable to use, but the items are not lost, and can be retrieved when the anti-magic is out, from what I understand.)

"Well, 'dat answer doesn't fill me with much confidence, but it'll have to work. I'm tempted to go join Thordek and the rest but 'dey'd probably just cast me aside 'cause I'm a halfling and I might get tread upon." He grumbles a bit. "Stupid Demios can kiss my hairy foot for sayin' 'dat sorta nonsense..."

[mshady]

Several of the soldiers who listen to Thordek's words look at each other in confusion. They look about for an officer or a sergaent of some kind, only to find the nearest one laying on the ground in a crumpled heap, a victim of Volkros' death magic.

It occurs to Thordek and perhaps others as well that the yugoloth was quite aware of the plan to use the tombstones to cancel out the magic the use might have been unneccesary. Not that a yugoloth would care.

They shudder as they become aware of what had just happened. The sight of their fallen comrades and the proximity to the dwarves causes them to take a step back.

"You were? We were? Huh?" says one, who seems stupified by the explanation and the side effects of the dismissed enthrallment.

They look for the doors through the gloom that the others had fled from and back at the deadly dwarves, who were suddenly not attacking them.

"Whatever the hell's going on, our part's over" one of soldiers say. The others nod in agreement. "Here's our advice. Get as far away from that thing as you can" the soldier says, and pushes his way right into the dwarven formation. They give him room and the others follow right behind, running out in a group.

While they were leaving the scene, it was in order instead of a rout, reminding the dwarves they were no more conscripts.

"Not such a bad idea, eh boss?" Buna asks both Thordek and Carmard, who are now standing side by side.

"Aye, lets" he agrees, and the rest of the dwarves soon fall back from the battle field as quickly as their armor, order and short legs allowed them to distance themselves.

Arman and Arum share a look and look back at Carmard, knowing their roles now. Neither were dwarves, and both immediately understood what it would mean for their own mortality if the charge of golems fails. The stoneburner would quickly kill them

Ahead of them, the iron golems plow ahead with their tombstones in tow. They try to flank the stone burner as it is blinded by the gloom. The widening field of anti-magic, magnified by the growing distance between them and their cases. It widens quickly, dispeling the darkness spells laid down by Volkross.

An iron golem is a juggernaut of metal, impervious to all but the most powerful weapons.

They were also immune to magic. Which Barauk would certainly have known

The thing that was the undoing of Barauk was that someone who thought they were an irrestistable force were incapable of backing down what was an unmovable object.

Thinking the sheer power of its spellfire would destroy the iron golems, it hits them with blast after blast of raw, sizzling, magical energy.

Blast after blast hammers them as they move onward, staggering them with the force but not stopping them. The stoneburner's case blazes orange and white from the heat generated by its attacks.

It's to no avail.

The wave of anti magic caused by the tombstones washes over Barauk's stoneburner casing and the wreath of blazing magical energy around it sputters and dies. A moment later, it bobbles in the air and drops to the ground with a resounding bang, than rolls about on the floor for a moment before settling against a piece of broken masonry. While its magic has been neutralized, the possessing spirit inside the stoneburner sends its runes whipping about, frantic at the change of events.

The dwarves and their allies all breath a collective sigh of relief as the stoneburner finally falls.

[Strangie]

Wyatt notices the troops falling back and what's going on, and decides to do the same, not wanting to be anywhere near this mess if this didn't work. He keeps watch on the scene, though, hoping that failure was not the case.

It wasn't.

Wyatt tilts his head back and sighs in relief as well when the stoneburner hits the ground. "Well, 'den...! 'dat was... intense." He looks at Sable and the others, with a grin. "I dunno about you, but I'm surprised 'dis even worked and we're not all either dead or mindless slaves. I think it might be a good idea to report back to Carmard or somethin'. Probably wants to know exactly what the hell happened, and 'dere ain't a whole lot for us to do at 'dis point..."

He looks around for an open route, to rejoin the friends that he had come here with. He wondered if they would think he and Sable either did the most amazing thing ever or the dumbest, and wondered what Carmard and the others had to say about the whole thing. He was also relieved to see that his friends were all in one piece... for the most part, anyway. "Good to see nobody got 'deir head taken off by Mister Campground, at least..."

[Werewhale]

Nalrak Ironfist

Nalrak falls to his knees in exhaustion, steadying himself on his shield. It was finally over. He drops his hammer and grasps his symbol, mumbling a long prayer of thanks to Dumathoin. Looking first to see if Carmard was still in one piece, he then moves around the battlefield, stabilizing anyone who could still be saved. He could treat them more fully back at camp.

[shaddy_24]

Magnum

Magnum stands as the battle ends, looking over the apparently defeated stoneburner. Barauk lay on the ground. The spell over the Godsmen was broken, and they were fleeing. Only one thing remained, aside from locking Barauk up and returning to deal with the original mission. The traitorous daimos behind them. Turning around, Magnum looks over the situation at the entrance. How were the mercenaries holding?

[thorgrim29]

Well done everyone, I want all the less wounded to stand guard over that thing until Carmard comes here, the rest of you, get yourselves out of the anti magic zone and find a cleric

Thordrek ignores his won order and decides to wait for his superiors next to the stoneburner. However he does sit down, leaning his back on the infernal device

[Melody]

Sable laughs and gives Johannes a tight hug and then turns and gives Wyatt the same, picking the halfling up off of the floor slightly in her exuberance. Setting Wyatt back onto his feet she stands grinning for a moment before she speaks. I can't believe that worked! I was almost certain we were all going to die some horrible death, but it worked!

She laughs again and looks around. Where is that evil bastard Hextros? I could just about kiss him right now. Still chuckling she moves across the battlefield to where Thordrek leaned against the stoneburner.

[Chepe Nolon]

"Someone go 'eal da lad will ye". Breaths slowly. *she curses under her beard* Then she goes to look at the wounded and see if she can help them.
Nega Silverhammer covered in blood and sweat prays for the fallen and notes the names of the fallen in a small book. Knowing that she will have to notify their families of the hero death they died. Her face is gray and serious and her troops walk slowly around their leader fearing a scolding. But in deep they know that she wont hold a grudge for not being able to fight enough for long. Second in command of the Valkyries reports the situation among the wounded and wonders off as Nega pulls a small flask with a white liquid on it. She take a chug and sits down towards a wall. She descends into prayer again.

[mshady]

Carmard walks up to where Thordek sits, battered, bloody but most of all weary. The scene around them is a charnel house, with fallen dwarves, men and minotaurs around them. Fires burn behind them, as the tunnel roars with flame and the stench from it was awful. Carmard's attack on the Godsmen coming through the tunnels had been as swift as it had been terrible.

As the inferno still raged, no one looking at it could help but feel a measure of pity for the men. No one but the fallen Demios knew how many had perished in that blaze. Seeing that Thordek's gaze has lingered on the fires for a moment, Carmard turns his gaze to that area for a moment as well. It stays there a moment and returns to Thordek without a change of expression or empathy.

"Not a bad job" Carmard allows. He offers a hand to Thordek as he sits down with his back to the fallen stoneburner. It is still warm enough for him to feel it through his battered armor, though it sits silently now.

He lifts Thordek back to his feet and looks around and looks around.

"Seems like ye have things well in hand" he says. "Or the rest do." Carmard gives Thordek a neutral look, and it leaves Thordek wondering what he was trying to convey. Disappointment Thordek had finally collapsed from the traumatic battle and was not taking charge? That he'd done so by leaning on the very weapon that had caused such trouble? Or maybe the point of his frustrating looks was to let the target of them try to fill in the blanks regarding what act they should be think about the most?

In that moment, Thordek learned something about the Arcanii.

Around him, the dwarves are tending to their own with care. Nega, along with Kelith, Grathalmor and Magnum join her and her Valkyries as they try to staunch their wound. One Valkyrie sits by another stripping off the fallen paladin's armor to apply a tourniquet to the stump of her leg that Barauk had severed with his magic.

Her screams cut through the groans and yelps of pain that fill the area now.

Walking over to the fallen stoneburner, Carmard taps it with his metal shod boot. He squats down and looks it over with a careful eye, checking the mechanisms with attention and deliberation. With his hand, he spins the inert runes along their tracks before finally being satisfied that they are working.

"No damage to the casing" he finally declares. He waves two minotaurs over with a familiar wooden and metal casing covered in runes and lined with lead and other elements that are similarly ensorcelled.

The two minotaurs stomp over, weary from the battle themselves. Carmard directs them to heft the case by simply pointing to it and then the case. Understanding the simple directions, the two heft the troublesome orb and drop it unceremoniously into the trunk with a loud bang.

It was there way of showing contempt for the weapon, if not the dwarves as well. Carmard winces slightly at the noise but says nothing in response to it.

He turns and waves across the battlefield to the two minotaurs carrying the casings for the tombstones to rejoin them, closing the sphere of anti magic caused by the distance between the tombstones and their antithesis in the form of the cases.

It takes a minute, but the cases come forward while Arman and Arum guide the iron golems to the center of the battle field. Quickly the tombstones are back in their cases and magic is restored to the area to allow the others to make use of whatever magical healing they had left.

Considering the length of the battle, Thordek doubted it was much at this point. The battle with the fire elementals had certainly training his three clerical friends, and the surviving clerics that accompanied the units had worked hard throughout it.

This had not been a good day at all. For anyone.

[Strangie]

Wyatt was swung around in surprise, and when he was put back on his feet, he glanced around a bit at the mark that the carnage had left behind. Dead or wounded people were everywhere, some in such mangled states that he didn't think the group's magic capability could restore them. "... I dunno, Sable... other 'dan the fact we're still standing, and we got the stoneburner...? 'dere isn't a whole lot to get excited about..."

Wyatt put a hand to his forehead, and then glanced down at his knee. He still had a small wound from the crossbow bolt he had been struck by, but it would likely heal over given some rest. He decided not to be bothered by it, and was instead thankful he still actually had his legs intact, after all he had been through.

"What a mess." Instead of his usually jovial and bouncy self, he took a moment and closed his eyes, standing straight and still and muttering something in his native halfling tongue that Shaundakul guide the fallen on the road to whatever final resting place they had with their respective deities. "It really hits you once you're not in the thick of things and you take a look around you... damn. Poor bastards. Not even in any of my previous lines of work have I seen so much blood spilled." He opened his eyes once more, and spotted Carmard, and considered giving the full report of what he had been through, but the end result of their actions spelled themselves out, and he just waved his hand down dismissively, figuring if someone wanted to know, they'd ask.

"Aah... hell with it. Not much for me to do now but wait for someone to tell me what to do." He took a spot out of the way of wounded soldiers or moving healers to keep anybody from stumbling into them in their haste, and took a kneeling position, resting his buckler arm on his knee and resting his mace on his shoulder. He frowned a little, surveying the former battlefield and the waste that the fight had laid to earth.

[Melody]

Sable looks around at the battlefield and back at Wyatt, her expression somewhat somber for the halfling's words.

Things could have been much worse than this and thanks to Tymora they weren't. I'll not feel ashamed about being happy I'm not among the dead. So saying, she turns and again begins to make her way to Thordrek's side.

[thorgrim29]

((I'll assume the tombstones have been put away))

Be with you in a minute boss, I just need a moment to rest my... everything

Thordrek reaches in his pack and drinks whatever healing potions he hadn't consumed or given to his troops during the battle. Then, feeling a bit closer to alive, he closes his eyes, gives thanks to his gods for his survival and the, if not happy, at least non disastrous resolution of the day's battle. Then, he remembers something he heard in the battle and jump up, swearing at the pain. He joins Carmard.

Sir, I just remembered something... The folks we attacked might have been trying to kill Barauk, but I'm pretty sure it didn't start that way. The deathknight Nega and me killed introduced itself as a knight of Barauk.

[Strangie]

"Things can always be worse... I suppose you're right, 'dough... it's just 'dat..." He rubs his nose a little, scanning the battlefield. "I suppose the full scope of 'dis battle never really hit me until now, is all."

Wyatt stands up, dusting himself off a little. "I just want to respect the dead and the wounded. Ahh... I didn't mean to bring ya down, Sable, sorry about 'dat." He follows her over, toward Thordrek. "If I had any money, I'd buy ya a drink afterward to make up for it."

Once there, he turns toward Thordrek, glancing about at the others who might also be standing around. "... but, 'nough of me bein' miserable for now. I'm glad 'dat I got the chance to help." He rubs his chin a little. "... took out the sniper... dumped an impromptu alchemy bomb on the Demios' head... wait... hey!" Something clicks in Wyatt's head. "Where's 'dat bastard Demios we met with before 'dis fight started? I'd like to give him a piece of my mind... 'what do halflings know of war'? I'll show him, and it starts with me making a boot print on his face."

Wyatt frowns, folding his arms. Back to normal for the halfling, it seems.