X-COM: The Fourth Dimension IC (D&D 4E)

[Irish Musician]

Ferrum, Cyborg Satyr Warden

Seeing the Captain in trouble, Ferrum flicks his arm to his right, producing his arm-sword, and runs over to her and tries his best to hack off the ichy on her. Being as careful as he can, he slides his sword through the middle of the ichy and tries to fling it off.....or kill it so that it falls off. "Come on you sticky bastard, get off her!"

Spoiler

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Actions
Minor - Sword comes out
Move - Next to The Captain
Standard - Strength of Stone (1d20+7)[19](26)
Damage - (1d7+5)[1](6), I gain 3 THP, and I mark not only #6, but #5 and #3 as well.

[Inspectre]

Seeing that his work was done in the crystal room, Tharrok stomped back out into the cargo bay. He slaps the flat of his axe against his shield a couple times, and glares out at the armored X-Ds through the widening gap they were making in the wall of debris.

"Looks like it's going to be once more into the breach . . ."

The dwarf mumbles with a maniacal grin, raising his shield in front of himself and hunching down, like a sprinter waiting for the signal to start running.

Spoiler: Tharrok

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Move: Move back into the bay
Standard: Ready to charge the first available enemy, ideally by charging in to fill a hole that the X-Ds make in the barricade

As carefully as he can, Ferrum slices the goo encircling the good captain's head. Unfortunately, it's hard to aim a blow like that properly, and the tip of his sword still ends up carving a nasty gash in Delilah's forehead. Nonetheless, she dips her head in thanks as she whirls and slashes at the last of the creatures off to the far side, beyond Ferrum's ability to corral.

Spoiler: Captain Delilah

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Standard: Hit unmarked Ichoroid
To-Hit: (1d20+7)[27] Lawl CRIT
Damage: (1d8+4)[6]

She hits the globe dead center, sending bits of it splashing everywhere, including her arms and face - fortunately the creature is not intact enough to maintain integrity of this might have been hazardous.

Meanwhile, outside the ship there is a swarm of unarmored X-Ds. Another quartet of the creatures emerge from one of the new drop pods and promptly move to reinforce the X-Ds gathering to storm the airship. Bolstered by their comrades, two of them dash through the flames and snap off shots at the section of barricade already weakened by their armored brethren.

On the other side of the ship, the two unarmored X-Ds over by the drop pod finally manage to lift the strange tube out. They begin to stagger towards the Archangel at a run, undaunted by the barrage of bolts that Cinder blindly sends their way. As they go, they twist the tube apart, and the two ends separate, still connected by a long strand of some sort of sticky goo, looking much like a black-color of uncooked bread dough. Reaching the side of the airship now almost fifteen feet apart from each other, the two X-Ds lift each end of the tube and shove it against the side of the airship, the dough-like goo sticking firmly enough to hold the tube ends firmly in place.

The two begin taps buttons and flicking switches on the affixed ends of the tubes, and a loud piercing whine fills the air that rapidly ascends in pitch and intensity. The long strand of goo still connecting each end of the tube together pulls itself taut, affixing itself in a straight line in between each end along the side of the airship and beginning to glow with a fiery inner light.

The armored X-D, having been waiting for this moment evidentially, now chooses this time to get out of its current location right next to one of the glowing, whining, tube ends. It scrambles up the side of the airship, using the ladder mounted on the side of the airship . . . all the way up to the top. At which point, the rungs of the ladder break away, leaving the creature comically hanging there in mid-air for a moment, staring at the broken rungs in its hands in confusion, before it tumbles back down towards the ground.

Spoiler: Sectoid Legionnaire #1

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Forgot to mention that he was maintaining his mental link and readying an action to climb specifically for this part. He's using the Run action up the ladder, which should give him the eight squares necessary to get right up to the top . . . just in time to potentially fall back down. He gets a saving thrown to catch himself on the remains of the ladder, far enough down that he'll still have to make a Climb check to get up onto the actual deck, but avoid eating 2d10 fall damage. Let's see if he manages it . . .

Saving Throw: [1d20]

If Not, Fall Damage: [2d10]

Somehow, the creature summersaults in mid-air, managing to snag hold of the one of the ladder rungs lower down that was still intact. This was quite fortunate for it, as a moment later the area beneath it became rather hazardous.

And then instead of a piercing whine, the air is filled with a cacophonous explosion as the tube and its gooey contents detonate! The two unarmored X-Ds standing right next to the demo charges are immediately incinerated in the conflagration, but outside the airship the explosion is rather small and contained. Instead, almost all of its force is directed inward, against the side of the airship, and even the hardened and fire-protection treated wood is forced to give way! The inside of the airship's cargo bay is filled with a hail of flying shrapnel driven about by the explosion, but fortunately no one is close enough to the blast's epicenter to be harmed, the barricades stopping the hail of shrapnel at the cost of the two sections of the barricades nearest to the blast.

The rest of the unarmored X-Ds on that side dash forward towards the new entry point into the bottommost deck of the airship. The lead two actually enter through the new hole, throwing themselves down behind some nearby crates.

Spoiler: Sectoid Grunt Swarm

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Grunt #11
Move, Mental Link on Grunt #10

Grunt #20
Move, Mental Link on Grunt #19

Grunt #17
Move, Mental Link on Heavy Weapons #2

Grunt #18
Move, Mental Link on Trooper #1

Grunt #10
Move through the fire and flames, Shoot at barricade
To-Hit: (1d20+7)[15]
Damage: 9

Grunt #10
Move through the fire and flames, Shoot at barricade
To-Hit: (1d20+7)[21]
Damage: 9

(BARRICADE DESTROYED!)

Grunt #13/Grunt #14
Move: Run towards the airship, countering their Speed of 4 from having to jointly lug a heavy bomb
Minor: Twist bomb apart/prepare the det cord
Standard: Activate bomb, creating a 15-foot wide hole in the side of the Archangel. Both are immediately consumed in the explosion, as will Legionnaire #1 will probably be if he survived his fall down to the ground. And the Psuedowolf #3 also takes the outside damage as well.

Bomb Explosion
Close Blast 2 around the three squares of wall that get demo'd
Outside Damage: (1d10)[5]
Inside Damage: (5d10)[15]

The two leftmost sections of barricade are dropped to half health. Damn, that was a ****ty explosion.

Grunt #15 & #16
Double Move towards the airship

Grunt #1, #3, #4, #6
Double Move up against the airship but remain outside

Grunt #7 & #8
Double Move inside the airship, taking cover behind some crates left by the explosion
Minor: Drop Prone

As the crates disintegrate, Tharrok charges forward to fill the hole, giving one of the armored X-Ds a taste of his waraxe . . . but just a taste, barely nicking the creature with the edge.

Unlike his smaller cousins, the Super-Whaler fanboy levels his harpoon at the top deck of the airship and fires. The tip penetrates into the wood easily, and by flicking a switch on the shaft of his weapon the armored creature hoists itself up into the air via a winch reeling in the attached line. Since the airship wasn't going to move and the harpoon remained embedded, the end result was the armored X-D getting a free ride up to the top deck.

Spoiler: Sectoid Centurion

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Standard: Fire Harpoon at Archangel
To-Hit: (1d20+7)[12] vs DC 10 - watch him miss
Minor: Reel In 3 squares, lifting himself back of the way up
Move: Reel In again another 3 squares, pulling him all the way up onto the top deck

Bolstered by its comrades, the tube-equipped X-D ignores the flames left by Kaeravak's explosion as it charges into the airship, intent on introducing Kaeravak to some fire of its own . . .

Spoiler: Trooper's Actions

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Move: Moves into the airship, ignoring Kaeravak's flames
Standard: Shoot at Kaeravak if the barricade in front of him was destroyed by the explosion, otherwise targeting the barricade in front of him instead.
To-Hit: (1d20+9)[12] vs Reflex or AC, Whichever is Lowest
Damage: (1d12+11)[23] Fire/Lightning

Barricade still standing, so it eats 23 damage and is vaporized. That square is now on fire.

Finally, the last drop pod that buried itself on top of the wreckage by the Archangel peels open, unleashing another flood of black goo! This bunch crawls up over the side of the airship onto the top of the deck. From there, they go after the combined forms of Dagrun & Cinder huddling down together behind the barricades for protection . . .

The rest left down on the mid-deck swarm towards Ferrum, taunted by him into attacking the armored satyr cyborg.

Spoiler: Ichoroids

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Top deck Ichoroids going versus: (1d2)[1] (1 Cinder, 2 Dagrun)
Ichoroid #7 (+1 Charge)
To-Hit: (1d20+5)[17] (on miss occupies 1 of 2 squares that can be used for Charging)
Damage: 3
Hit Location: (1d4)[3]

Ichoroid #8 (+1 Charge)
To-Hit: (1d20+5)[18] (on miss occupies 1 of 2 squares that can be used for Charging)
Damage: 3
Hit Location: (1d4)[3]

----If both 7 & 8 miss, there's no way for these to Charge----
Ichoroid #9 (+1 Charge)
To-Hit: (1d20+5)[10] (on miss occupies 1 of 2 squares that can be used for Charging)
Damage: 3
Hit Location: (1d4)[3]

Ichoroid #10 (+1 Charge)
To-Hit: (1d20+5)[15] (on miss occupies 1 of 2 squares that can be used for Charging)
Damage: 3
Hit Location: (1d4)[1]

Middle deck:
If Ichoroid #4 is still alive, it provokes an OA from Delilah to move towards Ferrum
To-Hit: (1d20+7)[10]
Damage: (1d8+4)[9]

Ichoroid #4 (if it's still somehow alive after two attacks)
Attack Ferrum
To-Hit: (1d20+4)[6] vs Reflex
Damage: 3
Hit Location: (1d4)[4]

Ichoroid #5 (if it's still somehow alive after two attacks)
Attack Ferrum
To-Hit: (1d20+4)[5] vs Reflex
Damage: 3
Hit Location: (1d4)[4]

Ichoroid #3 (if it's still somehow alive after two attacks)
Attack Ferrum
To-Hit: (1d20+4)[9] vs Reflex
Damage: 3
Hit Location: (1d4)[3]

The ones down on the mid deck are once again unable to find purchase on the heavy armor. Topside, however, the globes of black goo are guided with almost supernatural accuracy to Cinder. Hiding behind the barricade is no aid to her as the Ichoroids come from her side of the barrier, behind her, and catching her completely off-guard as she shakes the last of the stars out of her eyes. The poor pixie is bombarded over and over again by the creatures, despite Dagrun's best efforts to protect her, wrapped up tight until her head is visible beneath a thick carpet of sticky black tar creatures that slowly begin to constrict the life out of their captive. She can barely move beneath the tight carpet of crushing slime, which has rendered her arms, legs, and wings completely immobile. It occurs to her that if the last one had slammed into her face, instead of splashing against the barricade above her, and if Dagrun hadn't killed one of the others, she would have become completely encased in a layer of inescapable slime!

(Wow. Cinder takes two hits, one of which knocks her prone - if she isn't already since she's sharing Dagrun's square - which gives the last one CA and the extra +2 it needs to also hit. Fortunately Dagrun kills that one, so she still takes the damage but escapes the status condition. Cinder takes 9 damage, and is subject to the following conditions Until Escape, which is DC 18 (14 base, +2 for no hands, +2 for 3 Ichoroids): Restrained, Cannot Attack (unless she has eye lasers that I never heard about), Prone & Pinned, Cinder & Ichoroids are Immobile and are not affected by Forced Movement of any sort.) Fortunately the last one missed, or else she would have been subjected to the final status effect these things give, once all four locations have an Ichoroid attached - Helpless and Cannot Escape (Requires either an attack that is purely mental or outside aid that kills at least one Ichoroid to drop back down to the individual status effects each gives).

And finally, down in the hold, with a final wipe of his brow, the gnome places the last crystal in place. The crystals stand there for a minute, and then leap into the air, swirling up into an intricate whirlwind of spinning crystals that reflects light up and down over the runes covering the inside of the room. Where the light touches, the darkened runes glow with renewed power, and a shudder runs through the airship as it strains upward against the bindings of gravity and the wreckage locked up against its side.

"Yay! We did it!"

Lieutenant Whifflebottom announces, turning back towards the cargo bay and rolling up his sleeves to reveal his scrawny arms.

"Now let's kick some stowaways out of here!"

But the success of the group in getting the airship moving again only seems to enrage the X-D forces further. Six more globes of goo slither into sight from the west, approaching the airship as fast as they could roll across the ground. And From the skies overhead, another half dozen of the metal seeds plunge down to bury themselves in the earth nearby. Or rather, three of them bury themselves into the ground off to the west of the airship - the other three bury themselves into the Archangel itself, slamming down into the top deck in an eruption of fire and shattered wood!

Spoiler: Round 3 Drop Pods

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To the west:
Drop-Pod #1 - Down: (1d20)[15] Across: (1d6)[2]
Drop-Pod #2 - Down: (1d20)[17] Across: (1d6)[1]
Drop-Pod #3 - Down: (1d20)[18] Across: (1d6)[2]

Down at the airship:
Drop-Pod #4 - Down: (1d20)[20] Across: (1d8)[8]
Top Deck Saving throw: (1d20)[7]
Middle Deck Saving throw: (1d20+2)[6]
Bottom Deck Saving throw: (1d20+5)[6]

Drop-Pod #5 - Down: (1d20)[11] Across: (1d8)[3]
Top Deck Saving throw: (1d20)[20]
Middle Deck Saving throw: (1d20+2)[19]
Bottom Deck Saving throw: (1d20+5)[23]

Drop-Pod #6 - Down: (1d20)[11] Across: (1d8)[4]
Top Deck Saving throw: (1d20)[11]
Middle Deck Saving throw: (1d20+2)[18]
Bottom Deck Saving throw: (1d20+5)[6]

Hilariously, yet another of the drop pods slams down on top of one of the unarmored X-Ds, crushing it into a thin pool of black ichor leaking out from underneath the rapidly cooling metal. All three impact next to the Archangel, suggesting perhaps that the X-Ds had intended for all six drop pods to slam down into the airship.

The first one aimed directly at the airship certainly is effective, pulverizing its way down through all of the airship's deck, including the bottom deck, shattering everything in its path and only stopping after it buries itself halfway in the ground beneath the slowly rising airship (the X-Ds inside will still get to emerge onto the bottom deck, but there will be a 1x1 hole where the drop pod was, all the way down through the airship. Get your bulrushes ready folks!)

Perhaps it is simply an effect of the airship's hull being weakened in that area from its impact against the wreckage, but the rest of the airship holds against the other two drop-pods slamming down onto it, even the thin top-deck remaining intact. Both pods sit there side-by-side on the top deck, rapidly throwing off heat until they are once more cool to the touch.

One of them opens up almost immediately, spewing four more unarmored X-Ds onto the top deck. Two of them scurry into defensive positions behind their drop pods, locking eyes with the other two. The other two, however, turn to the second of the pods and open it, beginning to pull out another metal device that is similar to the tube that just blew a hole in the airship's side . . . only nearly twice the size and seems to be one intact piece rather than something pulled apart and spread over an area. This is unquestionably a massive, ship-scuttling bomb.

Spoiler: Newcomer Sectoid Actions

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They rolled a 21, beating everyone, so they go first in Round 3
Sectoid Grunt #21
Minor: Exit Pod
Move: Take Cover
Standard: Mental Link with Grunt #23

Sectoid Grunt #22
Minor: Exit Pod
Move: Take Cover
Standard: Mental Link with Grunt #24

Sectoid Grunt #23 & 24
Minor: Exit Pod
Move: Take Positions around bomb Drop Pod
Standard: Assemble the Big OneTM

Spoiler: Initiative Checks for New Arrivals

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Inside the Airship:
Sectoid Centurion: (1d20+5)[6]
Sectoid Grunts: (1d20+2)[21]

To the West:
Ichoroids: (1d20+2)[6]
Sectoid Legionnaire #4: (1d20+4)[15]
Sectoid Legionnaire #5: (1d20+4)[5]
Sectoid Grunts: (1d20+2)[3]

Good Guys:
Lieutenant Whifflebottom: (1d20+4)[16]

Battle Map

Spoiler: Initiative Order

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CURRENT PEEPS
Sectoid Grunts from Inside Airship Pod - 21
-----------------------------
CURRENT PEEPS
Khitan - 20
Kaeravak - 19
Akamenos - 9
Dagrun - 8
---------------
Lieutenant Whifflebottom - 16
Crewmen - 10
-----------------------
Thin Man #1 - 27
Sectoid Heavy Weapons #1 - 12 USED FLASH BANG
Sectoid Trooper #2 - 10
Sectoid Legionnaire #4 - DELAY DOWN TO HERE
Sectoid Legionnaires #1 & #2 & #3 - 7
Pseudowolf #3 - 7
Sectoid Heavy Weapons #2 - 7
------------------
Ferrum - 15
Cinder - 6
-------------------
Tharrok - 11 DELAY
Sectoid Centurion #2 - 6
Captain Delilah - 5
Sectoid Legionnaire #5 - 5
Sectoid Grunts - 4
Sectoid Grunts from West Drop-Pods - 3
Sectoid Centurion - 22
Sectoid Trooper - 16
Still More Ichoroids - 6 DELAY, MERGING WITH OTHER ICHOROIDS
Ichoroids - 3

Khitan, Kaeravak, Akamenos, and Dagrun are all up! The airship lifts off at the end of this round, so any X-Ds not actually on the airship at the end of this round will be rendered irrelevant. Quite a few of them are going to make it on board though so be careful!

[Surrealistik]

Kaeravak reflexively covers his face as the ship rocks and shudders with the force of the nearby detonation, and the barricade before him is blown completely apart. Luckily, his position low to the ground and quick thinking allow him to avoid the worst of the scattering debris, though the soldier is coated with dust and chunks of jagged wood. Despite a rather pronounced ringing in his ears, he nonetheless manages to pick up on the gnome's triumph in the engine room.

"Sounds good to me Wiffle, sure as hell could use some help in here! Mind the shielded ones; they'll take some serious firepower to put down."

[Surrealistik]

Rising to his feet, Kaeravak decides to seize the initiative and do something about his sheltered foes. With a wave of his hand, he scoops up a mote of flame from the vaporized barricade. Scarcely a moment passes before the snatched fire begins to flare up within its palm, roaring with lethal intensity. Manipulating the volatile spark, a shaped blastwave propels the pyromancer into position behind a fresh set of murderholes with a thunderous discharge. His target sighted in the crates nearest the breach, he lets fly his gestated blaze, which lands with its usual characteristic lethality. The tiefling is not yet done however, as he makes a wrenching motion towards the two x-rays in close proximity, an arc of fire splintering off from the initial detonation to likewise consume them.

Exhausted and having left the hold in a fiery (fierier?) conflagration, Kaeravak gladly drops behind the obscuring safety of his barrier. From that sheltered vantage, he issues a forceful command:

"Take down the tube bearer!"

Spoiler

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Round 3:

Move: Stand.

Standard: Ignition
Free Action: Elemental Escalation
Free Action: Shift 3 (from Elemental Escalation). Stealth: (1d20+4)[14](18)
Origin square 1 square to the south of the Sectoid Grunt 10
Attack vs Sectoid Grunt 10's Fortitude: (1d20+6)[6](12) (+2 due to CA from total concealment/hidden, not factored)
Attack vs Sectoid Grunt 19's Fortitude: (1d20+6)[11](17) (+2 due to CA from total concealment/hidden, not factored)
Attack vs Sectoid Trooper 1's Fortitude: (1d20+6)[6](12) (+2 due to CA from total concealment/hidden, not factored)
Hit Effect: (2d10+9)[6][7](22) fire damage.
Effect: The burst creates a zone until the start of Kaeravak's next turn. A creature that enters the zone or ends its turn there takes 2 fire damage. A creature can only take this damage once per turn.

Free Action: Use Action Point (expenditure depends on outcome of Escalation; may target Trooper)

Standard: Ignition
Origin square 1 square to the south of Sectoid Legionnaire 2
Attack vs Sectoid Legionnaire #3's Fortitude: (1d20+6)[13](19)
Attack vs Sectoid Legionnaire #2's Fortitude: (1d20+6)[5](11)
Hit Effect: (1d10+9)[3](12) fire damage.
Effect: The burst creates a zone until the start of Kaeravak's next turn. A creature that enters the zone or ends its turn there takes 2 fire damage. A creature can only take this damage once per turn.


Minor Action: Go prone.


Contingencies:

Free Action: Infernal Wrath
Trigger: Kaeravak takes damage from a creature within 10 squares of him
Target: Close burst 10 (triggering enemy within the burst)
Effect: Kaeravak deals 1d6+5 fire damage to the triggering creature.

[Grey_Wolf_c]

Akamenos - [Aboard the H.H.A. Archangel]

Akamenos peers out the doorway at the invaders with distaste, and spots the singed enemy singled out by Kaeravak. Akamenos unholsters his crossbow, and as he takes aim, infuses his surroundings with magic.

Spoiler: Actions

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Move: to the door, and hide
Stealth - (1d20+2)[20] (inc. distance)

Standard: Magic Weapon @Sectoid Trooper1
To Hit - (1d20+8)[16](+2 if hidden)
Damage - (1d8+5)[9], and Whifflebottom gets +1 to hit and +2 damage

[Deadline]

The fight takes a sudden shift for the worse when X-Ds begin swarming onto the top deck and some of the alien pods crash down on the deck. Several pools of black ooze rapidly flow towards their position, and sticky pseudopods reach out to engulf Cinder.

The old dwarf holds his holy symbol aloft and utters a prayer to Moradin before bathing the local area in radiance.

Spoiler: Actions

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Standard: Divine Glow to hit both Ichoroids on Cinder
Attack vs. Reflex Ichoroid #7: (1d20+4)[8]
- Damage: (1d8+4)[8]
Attack vs. Reflex Ichoroid #8: (1d20+4)[18]
- Damage: (1d8+4)[7]

Cinder receives a +2 Power bonus on attack rolls until the end of Dagrun's next turn.

Only one of the creatures is incinerated by the light, leaving Cinder held fast by the other. Dagrun hefts his hammer and brings it down at the creature, hoping to smash Cinder free. After that, another burst of radiant light leaps from his holy symbol to Cinder, healing her wounds.

[Inspectre]

Now that the ship was repaired, Khitan moves to join the others in repelling the boarders. Striding out of the crystal room, the deva takes position near Waifera just behind Tharrok and off to one side. He raises his arm, and three rays of light shoot out to strike at the heaviest armed and armored X-Ds currently on board.

Spoiler: Khitan's Actions

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Move: Move to between Waifera and CM #3
Standard Hand of Radiance
Damage: (1d4+4)[5] Radiant

vs Legionnaire #2 (-2 Cover) Reflex
To-Hit: (1d20+3)[17]

vs Legionnaire #3 Reflex
To-Hit: (1d20+5)[22]

vs Trooper #1 Reflex
To-Hit: (1d20+5)[12]

The ray of light stabs into the right eye of the badly wounded X-D, the sudden influx of energy causing it to burst. The less injured of the two also staggers from the blast but does not go down. Perhaps shielded by his companion, the ray sent against the tube-equipped X-D misses.

[Inspectre]

Crackling his knuckles, the child-sized gnome strides out of the crystal room.

"I was too busy before now to properly welcome you gits! Let's make up for lost time!"

The gnome cries out as he begins weaving his hands through the air in a loud and flash incantation that ends with a bolt of lightning leaping from his fingertips! The stroke of lightning shoots across the cargo bay, accompanied by a thunderclap, aimed at the tube-equipped X-D. The forms of Tharrok - and more importantly, the armored X-D - are in the way of his aim, however, making the shot more difficult than usual.

Spoiler: Whifflebottom's action

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Move: Move to indicated position on the map, right behind Tharrok
Standard: Lightning Arc on Sectoid Trooper #1 (-2 Cover from Legionnaire, +1 Magic Weapon, +2 Damage)
To-Hit: (1d20+4)[14] vs Reflex
Damage: (3d6+7)[20] Lightning

The bolt of lightning arcs forth, and the armored X-D's eyes go wide as the electricity arcs past him. Overly brave, the insane creature leaps up into the way of the bolt, sheltering the tube-equipped X-D at the cost of its own life. The armored creature crumples to the ground as a steaming, charred mess.

And then, finally glad to be able to have a target not rendered invulnerable by the invaders' powerful mental shields, all half dozen crewmen open fire on the tube-equipped X-D. On the mid-deck, both Ensign Wedge and his crewmate circle around to hack at the remaining two globs of black goo.

Spoiler: Crewman's Actions

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CM #2 vs Ichoroid #3
To-Hit: (1d20+7)[21]
Damage: 5

Ensign Wedge vs Ichoroid #4 (or #3 with flanking if CM #2 missed)
To-Hit: (1d20+7)[11]
Damage: 5

CM #6 vs Sectoid Trooper #1 (shifting to Legionnaire if Trooper is dead)
To-Hit: (1d20+7)[16]
Damage: 5

CM #5 vs Sectoid Trooper #1 (shifting to Legionnaire if Trooper is dead)
To-Hit: (1d20+7)[11]
Damage: 5

CM #4 vs Sectoid Trooper #1 (shifting to Legionnaire if Trooper is dead, -2 Cover from Legionnaire)
To-Hit: (1d20+5)[12]
Damage: 5

CM #3 vs Sectoid Trooper #1 (shifting to Legionnaire if Trooper is dead, -2 Cover from Legionnaire)
To-Hit: (1d20+5)[12]
Damage: 5

CM #1 vs Sectoid Trooper #1 (shifting to Legionnaire if Trooper is dead, -2 Cover from Legionnaire)
To-Hit: (1d20+5)[7]
Damage: 5

CM #7 vs Sectoid Trooper #1 (shifting to Legionnaire if Trooper is dead, -2 Cover from Legionnaire)
To-Hit: (1d20+5)[15]
Damage: 5

The other crewman manages to pin one of the globs to the deck with his weapon, but Ensign Wedge misses, leaving one of the globs still alive on the mid-deck. The barrage of crossbow bolts is less than impressive, only one managing to find purchase in the X-D's naked hide.

[Inspectre]

Outside, the tall gaunt alien reappears from behind the wreckage as it leans out to snap off a long distance shot at Dagrun! Then, the creature charges towards the airship, too far away to possible reach it in time before lift-off.

Spoiler: Thin Man Actions

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Standard: Shoot at Dagrun (-2 Long Range, +2 CA, +2 Sniper Bonus)
To-Hit: (1d20+9)[27]
Damage: (1d10+5)[13]
Move: Run (futilely) towards the airship

(Dagrun takes 13)

The big-eyed invader with the bigger crossbow is much calmer, simply standing in place while it works to slide another disk from a bandolier into its weapon. This done, it levels the horrid weapon up at the top deck of the Archangel, and fires again. This time the disk belches forth the familiar eruption of flame.

Spoiler: Heavy Weapons Sectoid #1

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Move: Reload
Standard: Fire Explosive Disk (again, aimed where cover will not protect you - roasts the last Ichoroid and all squares of the barricade as well)
Damage: (1d6+7)[10] Fire
Hit: Prone and Pushed 1 square
vs Cinder (Reflex): (1d20+6)[16]
vs Dagrun (Reflex): (1d20+6)[23]
vs Ichoroid (reflex): (1d20+6)[23]
vs Barricade NE: (1d20+6)[23]
vs Barricade N: (1d20+6)[17]
vs Barricade NW: (1d20+6)[19]
vs Barricade W: (1d20+6)[9]
vs Barricade SW: (1d20+6)[25]

(Dagrun takes another 10, for a total of 23, putting him down to 2 HP by my count).

Down on the bottom deck, the second tube-equipped X-D sprints through the flames around the doorway, firing as it enters the cargo bay. A stream of green bolts flies towards Tharrok, who can only raise his shield and attempt to weather the fiery rain.

Spoiler: Sectoid Trooper #2

Show

Move: Enter Cargo Bay, take 2 Fire from Ignition Zone
Standard: Shot on the Run, moving to behind cover, Vs Lower of AC/Reflex
To-Hit: (1d20+8)[20]
Damage: (1d12+6)[13] Fire/Lightning
Minor: Drop Prone

(Tharrok takes 13)

From outside the airship, one of the drop-pods that just landed immediately off to the west opens up, dumping out another of the armored X-Ds. It scrambles to its feet, making its way into the cargo bay through the gaping hole blasted in that side of the airship. Upon seeing the group crouched down behind the remains of the barricades, it charges the nearest Archangel crewman, not caring that doing so put it directly on top of the still-flaming debris!

Meanwhile, the other armored X-D still standing against Tharrok attacks the dwarf, hitting him with a blow that makes his eyes go wild for a moment.

Finally, the X-D still hanging from the side of the Archangel amidst the remains of the ladder attempts to pull itself up onto the deck.

Spoiler: Sectoid Legionnaire Actions

Show

Legionnaire #4
Move: Move into airship
Standard: Charge CM#6
To-Hit: (1d20+7)[15]
Damage: (1d6+5)[10]

Reflex attack by Fire, Hit and it takes Ongoing 5 Fire:
To-Hit: (1d20+4)[23] vs Reflex

Legionnaire #1
Athletics to pull itself up onto the deck (DC 20, Failure by 5 or more and it falls)
Athletics: (1d20+3)[22]
2nd Athletics (if first fails by 4 or less): (1d20+3)[4]
Fall Damage: (2d10)[5]

(CM #5 is hit and is instantly dropped from taking 10 damage. And HOLY COW! The Legionnaire actually makes his climb check - he uses his second move to advance to the top of the stairs leading down into the mid deck.)

Now alone in the crystal room, Akamenos hears a tearing sound, followed by a low growl. He turns just in time for the third skull-headed hound to leap for his throat as it appears through the wall!

Spoiler: Psuedowolf #3

Show

Move: Move alongside the airship, and into the first square of the crystal room
Standard: Charge Akamenos (+1 Charge)
To-Hit: (1d20+7)[16]
Damage: (1d8+5)[6]
Hit: Knocked Prone

Akamenos manages to step back out of the way just in time, the dog-thing's bony jaws clacking together an inch from his face!

And then, striding through the flames like a nightmare made real, is another of the heavy crossbow bearing X-Ds. It stands over the bodies of its charred companions for a moment, blinking at the assembled figures huddled behind the barricades. And then it levels its weapon and fires, the disk flying to land at Tharrok's feet before summoning a massive explosion right in the midst of the Archangel's defenders and sending them flying in all directions.

Spoiler: Heavy Weapons #2 Actions

Show

Move: Stride through the flames, ignoring them due to mental Link shield
Standard: Explosive Disk on Tharrok, Area Burst 2 (vs Reflex)
Damage: (1d6+12)[14] Fire
Hit: Pushed 1 square and Knocked Prone
vs Tharrok: (1d20+6)[9]
vs CM#1 (1d20+6)[7]
vs CM #3 (1d20+6)[10]
vs CM #4 (1d20+6)[16]
vs CM #7 (1d20+6)[19]
vs Littlebottom (1d20+6)[16]
vs Khitan (1d20+6)[7]
vs Kaeravak (1d20+6)[19]
vs WW Barricade (1d20+4)[12] (-2 Cover from other Barricades)
vs W Barricade (1d20+6)[22]
vs E Barricade (1d20+6)[9]
vs EE Barricade (1d20+4)[21] (-2 Cover from other Barricades)

(Kaeravak and Littlebottom takes 14 Fire damage, are Pushed 1 square, and knocked prone. CM #7 & #4 are both dropped by the explosion. The barricade to Tharrok's left takes damage, none of the others are effected (forgot that the nearest barricades should block line of effect to the ones farther out.)

Battle Map

Spoiler: Initiative Order

Show

Sectoid Grunts from Inside Airship Pod - 21
-----------------------------
Khitan - 20
Kaeravak - 19
Akamenos - 9
Dagrun - 8
---------------
Lieutenant Whifflebottom - 16
Crewmen - 10
-----------------------
Thin Man #1 - 27
Sectoid Heavy Weapons #1 - 12 USED FLASH BANG
Sectoid Trooper #2 - 10
Sectoid Legionnaire #4 - DELAY DOWN TO HERE
Sectoid Legionnaires #1 & #2 & #3 - 7
Pseudowolf #3 - 7
Sectoid Heavy Weapons #2 - 7
------------------
CURRENT PEEPS
Ferrum - 15
Cinder - 6
-------------------
Tharrok - 11 DELAY
Sectoid Centurion #2 - 6
Captain Delilah - 5
Sectoid Legionnaire #5 - 5
Sectoid Grunts - 4
Sectoid Grunts from West Drop-Pods - 3
Sectoid Centurion - 22
Sectoid Trooper - 16
Still More Ichoroids - 6 DELAY, MERGING WITH OTHER ICHOROIDS
Ichoroids - 3

Ferrum & Cinder are up!

[Grey_Wolf_c]

Cinder Ashborn, Pixie Harrier

Cinder stands up amongst the fire, having been shielded from all of the damage by Dagrun's bulk. Looking at him, though, she can only shake her head in amazement at how he could possibly still be standing. But Cinder has not time to waste with words - the rumble underfoot tells her the engines are back online. Spying through the still warm murderholes, she eyes the creature with the grappling gun. Without her usual grin, she clenches her fist, and a green substance suppurates and covers the darts. She shoots them, and they just barely make it through the armour, injecting the creature with a debilitating toxin. Her reward: a spray of blood shoots out, greenish with venom, splatters the deck as the creature's arms suddenly lose their strength.

Cinder then moves to protect the controls, looking forward to the time to get out of this deathtrap.

Spoiler: Actions

Show

Move: Stand Up

Standard: Sly Flourish @ Centurion 1
To Hit AC - (1d20+10)[18] (inc. CA, but not the +2 buff)
Damage - (3d6+7)[23] (inc. Sneak Attack)

Free Action: if Attack hits, Strike from the Shadows: Centurion is weakened UENT (Cinder), And Cinder shifts (2) near the controls, and hides (27, rolled OOC).

[Surrealistik]

Waifera beckons Akamenos away from the houndthing that narrowly missed him, distracting the beast with an abrupt whistle as he heeds her cue.


With the X-ray in front of him downed, and the enemies taking cover beyond Tharrok sees fit to charge into the fray, skirting about Kaeravak's flames as his waraxe takes on a rather ominous glow. The weapon begins to hum, reaching a fevered crescendo as it is thrust towards the already mangled alien and his companion taking cover behind the crates. The resultant shock wave sends the latter careening off the ship while it nearly pulverizes the former, knocking the alien unconscious.

Gripped by overwhelming bloodlust, Tharrok presses the attack, mercilessly bringing his axe down on the adjacent hostile. Beyond this, the dwarf transfixes his prone foe with a manic glare and gritted teeth, as though daring him to act.

Spoiler

Show

Round 3, Waifera

Free Action: Virtue of Cunning: Slide Akamenos 1 square as the Pseudohound missed him.


Round 3, Tharrok

Move Action: Tharrok moves 5 squares (provokes attack from Sectoid Grunt at -2).

Standard Action: Concussive Spike
Attack vs AC: (1d20+7)[19](26) vs Trooper #1's AC.
Hit Effect: (1d12+6)[11](17) force damage (KOed!) and Heavy Weapons #2 is pushed 3 squares off the ship.


Free Action: Action Point
Standard Action (Action Point): Iron Fist
Attack vs AC: (1d20+7)[19](26) vs Trooper #2's AC.
Hit Effect: (1d12+6)[4](10) damage.
Effect: Tharrok gains resist 3 all until the end of his next turn.

Free Action: Marshall's Interdiction
Trigger: Tharrok hits an enemy with an attack
Effect: The target is immobilized until the end of Tharrok's next turn. The target is marked until Tharrok ends a turn without attacking it, and is designated his martial's quarry until the end of the encounter.


Minor Action: Battlemind's Demand, Sectoid Trooper #2
Effect: Sectoid Grunt 7 is marked until the end of the encounter.


Contingencies

Free Action: Blurred Step
Trigger: Sectoid Trooper #2 shifts.
Effect: Tharrok shifts 1 square adjacent.

Immediate Reaction: Mind Spike
Trigger: Sectoid Trooper #2 damages an ally with an attack that doesn't include Tharrok as a target.
Effect: Tharrok deals force and psychic damage to Sectoid Trooper #2 equal to half the damage it dealt with the triggering attack.

[Grey_Wolf_c]

Cinder Ashborn, Pixie Harrier

Just before Cinder moves back into hiding, she notices that the white light from Dagrun's attack is still suffusing her hands. Not one to waste resources, she scans the top deck for a nice, fat target and sees one of the unarmoured grunts with the kind of pained expression she has come to associate to the source of the mental shields. Cinder aims at him, and shoots. The enemy goes down, and so those another one, with the result that the enemy strength is quite literally halved.

Cinder finally allows herself a small grin, although a look over her shoulder at Dagrun turns it into more of a grimace. She moves into the shadows, dimming her red glow, and scrambles around the captain's wheel, ready to defend it.

Spoiler: Action Point

Show

Just realised that the +2 was UENT, so I might as well use the AP and make the best of it. This happens as a free action before the free action that allowed Cinder to move (so it doesn't negate the hiding, but more importantly, I'm not sure she has LoS from final position)

AP-Standard: Gloaming Cut @ Grunt #22
To Hit - (1d20+10)[21] (inc. Dagrun's bonus)
Damage - (1d6)[2]
Effect: Cinder moves, and hides (27).

Then, the other free action kicks in, moving her again. If the captain's wheel offers any cover, she should be able to remain hidden - and the enemy won't know what square she is in (until such time as they get unobstructed LoS on her, of course)

[Irish Musician]

Ferrum, Reforged Satyr Warden

Ferrum is satisfied that the situation on that middle deck is handled, and the very loud smashes he heard on the top deck didn't bode well to him. Ferrum takes off through the middle deck and at the bottom of the stairs sees a Legionnaire at the top of the stairs and smiles. "Come on you big, alien idiot, lets see how you do against a ROBOT-MAN.....er Satyr!"

Spoiler

Show

Actions
Move - to the bottom of the stairs, avoiding OA's
Standard - Charge the Legionnaire (1d20+7)[4](11)
Damage - (1d7+5)[7](12), Legionnaire is marked no matter what.

[Inspectre]

The drop pod that crashed all of the way through the Archangel swings open, allowing another of the tall armored X-Ds to stagger out. It quickly unhooks its familiar harpoon weapon from the side of the pod and collects a grenade, and then drunkenly charges Tharrok. As it moves near, a sword blade extends out from its gauntlet, slashing at Tharrok's throat!

Spoiler: Sectoid Centurion #2's Actions

Show

Minor: Exit Pod
Minor: Collect Weapons
Standard: Charge Tharrok with Armblade (+1 Charge)
To-Hit: (1d20+11)[17]
Damage: (1d8+6)[13]
Hit: Tharrok is Marked (Save Ends)

Up on the mid-deck, Captain Delilah attempts to put an end to the final ball of ambulatory black goo.

Spoiler: Captain Delilah

Show

Standard: Attack Ichoroid #5
vs Ichoroid #5
To-Hit: (1d20+7)[16]
Damage: (1d8+4)[7]
Move: (If Ichoroid #5 is dead) Move to towards the stairs for the top deck.

Outside the airship, another armored X-D emerges and charges into the Archangel's interior. Weaving around the crates and other X-Ds in its way, it charges Tharrok from behind!

Spoiler: Legionnaire's Actions

Show

Minor: Open Drop-Pod
Move: Enter Bottom Deck
Standard: Charge Tharrok (+1 Charge)
To-Hit: (1d20+7)[26]
Damage: (1d6+5)[6]

The armored X-D is followed by a flood of unarmored invaders pouring into the cargo bay all at once, their numbers literally blocking up the hole blown into the hull. They look around for a moment, getting their bearings, and then all hell breaks loose as a bunch of them make eye contact, and then crossbow bolts fly in all directions through the cargo bay, although most of them find their way speeding towards Tharrok!

Spoiler: Sectoid Grunt Actions

Show

Grunts #5 & 6
Move: Move into Cargo Bay
Standard: Mental Link on #1 & #4 respectively

Grunts #1 & #4
Shoot at Barricade in the middle of the cargo bay
To-Hit: (1d20+7)[13]
Damage: 9
To-Hit: (1d20+7)[18]
Damage: 9

Grunts #25 & #26
Minor: Open Drop-Pod
Move: Move into Cargo Bay
Standard: Mental Link on #27 & #28 respectively

Grunts #27 & #28
Minor: Open Drop-Pod
Move: Move into Cargo Bay
Standard: Shoot at Tharrok
To-Hit: (1d20+7)[8]
Damage: 9 (reduced to 6)
To-Hit: (1d20+7)[11]
Damage: 9 (reduced to 6)

Grunt #8
Standard: Mental Link on Grunt #7
(Remains Prone)

Grunt #7
Move: Stand Up
Standard: Shoot Tharrok
To-Hit: (1d20+7)[20]
Damage: 9 (reduced to 6)

Grunt #16
Move: Move into Cargo Bay
Standard: Shoot Tharrok
To-Hit: (1d20+6)[12]
Damage: 4 (reduced to 1)

Grunt #11
Standard: Mental Link with Grunt #18

Grunt #17
Standard: Mental Link with Grunt #20

Grunt #18
Move: Move into Cargo Bay (ignores Ignition Zone due to shield)
Standard: Shoot Tharrok
To-Hit: (1d20+7)[14]
Damage: 9 (reduced to 6)

Grunt #20
Move: Move into Cargo Bay (ignores Ignition Zone due to shield)
Standard: Shoot Tharrok
To-Hit: (1d20+7)[9]
Damage: 9 (reduced to 6)

Up on the top deck, the tall armored X-D quickly gets its bearings and advances towards the remaining unarmored underling still trying to pull the large armored tube out and ready it for detonation. It gives it a brief glance, almost of approval, and then charges Ferrum, a blade shooting out from its gauntlet!

Spoiler: Centurion #1's Actions

Show

Move: Move to the right side of the two drop-pods in the middle of the deck
Minor: Shielding Mental Link on Grunt #23 (Resist 5 All, +10 temp HP, +2 All Defenses)
Standard: Charge Ferrum
To-Hit: (1d20+11)[20]
Damage: (1d8+6)[13]
Hit: Ferrum is Marked (Save Ends)

(Ferrum takes 13)

From the darkness around the airship, another six globs of goo come slithering. Seemingly aware that the airship is about to lift off, they hustle forward, leaping through the air to slap themselves against the sides of the airship just as it finally breaks free from the wreckage and begins to lift off into the air.

(End of Round 3 the Archangel is officially off the ground now - anything still outside the airship cannot get on-board now. Although they can still cause the thing to crash if they get ahold of the controls or blow it up with that bomb. Or, y'know, just flat out kill all of you.)

But now a new complication reveals itself - or rather, an old one. A keening whine fills the air, and rapidly crescendos into a roar - the aerial predator has taken notice of the defeated Archangel rising to challenge it again, and it is *not* happy. (Next round, the UFO arrives for battle! And we officially switch over to the next encounter, heh.)

Meanwhile, the remaining two unarmored X-Ds up on the top deck manage to finally wrestle the large cylindrical object out of the drop-pod's casing. Working together, they pull off the bottom of the tube, spilling a large quantity of black tar out onto the deck, which they use to affix the bomb in place. Then they begin flipping switches on the tube's surface, clearly arming it for detonation.

(Next turn if one of those two is still alive, their next action will arm the bomb - although it won't necessarily go off immediately, either.)

Battle Map

Spoiler: Initiative Order

Show

Sectoid Grunts from Inside Airship Pod - 21
-----------------------------
CURRENT PEEPS
Khitan - 20
Kaeravak - 19
Akamenos - 9
Dagrun - 8
---------------
Lieutenant Whifflebottom - 16
Crewmen - 10
-----------------------
Thin Man #1 - 27
Sectoid Heavy Weapons #1 - 12 USED FLASH BANG
Sectoid Trooper #2 - 10
Sectoid Legionnaire #4 - DELAY DOWN TO HERE
Sectoid Legionnaires #1 & #2 & #3 - 7
Pseudowolf #3 - 7
Sectoid Heavy Weapons #2 - 7
------------------
Ferrum - 15
Cinder - 6
-------------------
Tharrok - 11 DELAY
Sectoid Centurion #2 - 6
Captain Delilah - 5
Sectoid Legionnaire #5 - 5
Sectoid Grunts - 4
Sectoid Centurion - 22
Sectoid Trooper - 16
Ichoroids - 3

(Khitan, Kaeravak, Akamenos, and Dagrun are all up! Happy hunting down on the bottom deck, K-Bros!)

[Surrealistik]

Righting himself with a shake of his head and an agonized groan, Kaeravak stands from his unceremonious sprawl on the ground. Taking a moment to orient, hands drawn to massage his aching temples, the pyromancer's jaw drops open, if only momentarily, when he spots the sheer volume of aliens bustling about the hold.

"Damn. Now this is a code red; hope we don't make it to black."

Quick to seize on the opportunity, he flicks open a palm, sending another charge of flame barreling into that thronging crowd. A cacophony of wretched screams echoes throughout the hold as liquid fire mercilessly consumes the x-ds trapped within, blasting through their strange shields with lethal indifference, reducing everything within to uniform grey cinder.

"Bullseye."

Spoiler

Show

Round 4:

Move: Stand.

Standard: Ignition
Attack vs SG3 Fortitude: (1d20+6)[13](19)
Attack vs SG6 Fortitude: (1d20+6)[14](20)
Attack vs SG28 Fortitude: (1d20+6)[5](11)
Attack vs SG8 Fortitude: (1d20+8)[11](19) (+2 CA; can't see Kaeravak?)
Attack vs SG27 Fortitude: (1d20+6)[10](16)
Attack vs SG26 Fortitude: (1d20+6)[14](20)
Hit Effect: (1d10+9)[10](19) fire damage.
Effect: The burst creates a zone until the start of Kaeravak's next turn. A creature that enters the zone or ends its turn there takes 2 fire damage. A creature can only take this damage once per turn.

Also loads of cascading deaths from terminated mind links.


Contingencies:

Free Action: Infernal Wrath
Trigger: Kaeravak takes damage from a creature within 10 squares of him
Target: Close burst 10 (triggering enemy within the burst)
Effect: Kaeravak deals 1d6+5 fire damage to the triggering creature.

[Grey_Wolf_c]

Cinder Ashborn, Pixie Harrier

"Dagrun!" says Cinder in a hoarse whisper, "when ya pull ya-self together, 'elp Ferrum. I'll take care o' the thingy the weak ones are tinkering with."

------------

Akamenos - [Aboard the H.H.A. Archangel, hull deck]

Akamenos takes a step back, out of the line of fire from the hull proper, and carefully withdraws a vial from his pouch, and inserts it into a hollow in the crossbow bolt. He aims it at the fascinating creature in front of him and shoots.

The little vial breaks on contact, covering the wolf's head in acid, forcing him to weaken its defences while it attempts to clean it off. The acid makes it through the thick skin without difficulty, and the wolf starts bleeding heavily.

Spoiler

Show

Since the encounter is almost over, hopefully Hircine will not object to my using one of his encounter powers

Move: Away from the door (see map)

Standard: Scouring Weapon @ pseudowolf 3
To Hit - (1d20+8)[25]
Acid Damage - (2d8+5)[16], and the target has -2AC UENT

[Inspectre]

Glancing up from her position on the floor at the burning X-D, Waifera sneers as she calls out to it.

"Did you think setting yourself on fire would impress me, or are you just getting warmed up!?"

Spoiler: Waifera's Action

Show

Vicious Mockery vs. Legionnaire #4 (-2 Prone, -2 Cover, vs Will)
To-Hit: (1d20+1)[8]
Damage: (1d6+4)[8]
Hit: Legionnaire takes -2 penalty to attacks

[Deadline]

Singed, bleeding, and cursing up a storm, Dagrun screams out, "Yer gonna have ta try harder than that, ye blasted slag!"

Blood flows freely from several wounds to his forehead, and he savagely wipes it from his eyes in an effort to see his foes. He struggles to move his injured body to the edge of the barricade, as a soft glow surrounds him and heals his wounds. When Cinder whispers her message, he quietly says, "Aye, lass." He quickly glances around the edge of the stacked debris to acquire a target, and lets loose a searing blast of radiant light at the Sectoid Legionnaire. Although the healing light has stopped most of the bleeding, the blood in his eyes throws his aim off and the bolt of radiant energy goes wide.

Spoiler: Actions

Show

Minor: Healing Word on himself. Dagrun heals 7 + (1d6+4)[6] hp.
Move: Moves one square to the right to be near the edge of the debris.
Standard: Sacred Flame on Sectoid Legionnaire #1 (+5 vs. Reflex): (1d20+5)[9]
Hit: (1d6+4)[8] Radiant damage, and Cinder gains 3 Temporary Hitpoints.

[Azktor]

Khitan Godspeaker, Deva Invoker

Khitan focus his power into the Alien-wolf that is near Akamenos and a couple of others enemies.

Spoiler: Khitan's Action

Show

Move: Nothing
Minor: Nothing
Standard: Hand of Randiance
Attack on PW3 vs Reflex [roll]1d20+5[roll]
Attack on SG16 vs Reflex [roll]1d20+5[roll
Attack on SG26 vs Reflex [roll]1d20+5[roll
Damage: (1d4+4)[7]

[Inspectre]

Pushing himself up, Whifflebottom spits up a bit of blood and wipes at his lips with the back of his hand.

"Nobody, and I mean NOBODY makes me bleed my own blood!"

The gnome shouts as he gestures, summoning a trio of arcane bolts that he sends hurtling towards one of the unarmored X-Ds. The bolts fly into the creature's eyes, causing them to burst and the creature to collapse, quite dead.

"Take that!"

Up on the mid-deck, Ensign Wedge begins to shake as the shrieking whine of the X-D vessel reaches his ears.

"Cap'n! It's coming back!"

"Man the ballistas! This time, we're taking that thing down!"

"A-Aye aye!"

Ensign Wedge shouts, joined by the other crewman present, each of them manning a ballista on either side of the Archangel.

Meanwhile, below deck the remaining crewman struggle to save their comrades.

Spoiler: Crewman actions

Show

Mid-Deck:
Each mans a ballista and readies an action to fire it at the UFO, should it come down their side.

Bottom Deck:
Each crewman grabs a fellow dying crewman and tries to patch them up.
Heal on CM4: [1d20+2]
Heal on CM6: [1d20+2]
Heal on CM7: [1d20+2]

Those who are healed get an action. Those who don't will have to make a saving throw.

Spoiler: Initiative Order

Show

Sectoid Grunts from Inside Airship Pod - 21
-----------------------------
CURRENT PEEPS
Khitan - 20
Kaeravak - 19
Akamenos - 9
Dagrun - 8
---------------
Lieutenant Whifflebottom - 16
Crewmen - 10
-----------------------
Thin Man #1 - 27
Sectoid Heavy Weapons #1 - 12 USED FLASH BANG
Sectoid Trooper #2 - 10
Sectoid Legionnaire #4 - DELAY DOWN TO HERE
Sectoid Legionnaires #1 & #2 & #3 - 7
Pseudowolf #3 - 7
Sectoid Heavy Weapons #2 - 7
------------------
Ferrum - 15
Cinder - 6
-------------------
Tharrok - 11 DELAY
Sectoid Centurion #2 - 6
Captain Delilah - 5
Sectoid Legionnaire #5 - 5
Sectoid Grunts - 4
Sectoid Centurion - 22
Sectoid Trooper - 16
Ichoroids - 3

[Inspectre]

The crewman once awake again launch a counterattack, one stabbing at the armored X-D in front of him while the other two snap off shots at the other armored X-D by Tharrok before crawling behind other barricades.

Spoiler: Actions

Show

Crewman #6:
Move: Stand Up
Standard: Stab Legionnaire #4
To-Hit: (1d20+7)[20]
Damage: 5

Crewman #4
Standard: Shoot Legionnaire #5
To-Hit: (1d20+5)[15] (-2 Prone)
Damage: 5

Crewman #7
Standard: Shoot Legionnaire #5
To-Hit: (1d20+5)[11] (-2 Prone)
Damage: 5

[Inspectre]

Pushing itself up onto its feet, the tube-equipped X-D blinks at Tharrok for a moment, glaring at him. And then it levels its tube and spits out another stream of green fire into his face, despite opening itself up for a swing from his war-axe as it does so.

Spoiler: Tharrok's OA

Show

To-Hit: (1d20+3)[13]
Damage: (1d12+2)[6]

Spoiler: Trooper's Attack

Show

Move: Stand Up
Standard: Shoot Tharrok (Targets lower of AC/Reflex)
To-Hit: (1d20+8)[28]
Damage: (1d12+6)[7] Fire/Lightning

Meanwhile, the armored X-D by the barricade blinks in surprise as the man gets back up in front of it. And then it stabs him in the chest again, this time ripping his torso apart and leaving no question that the man was almost certainly dead (actually, I guess he could still be stabilized)

Spoiler: Legionnaire #4

Show

To-Hit: (1d20+6)[24]
Damage: (1d6+5)[9]

Up on top of the deck, the other legionnaire's eyes grow even blacker as it stabs downward at Ferrum, a mental presence trying to force him to feel fear!

Spoiler: Legionnaire #1

Show

To-Hit: (1d20+6)[20]
Damage: (1d6+5)[10]
Hit: Ferrum is Pushed 1 square back down the stairs, takes a -2 penalty to AC, and is Marked by Legionnaire #1 (Save Ends Both).

With a snarl, the skull-faced wolf charges at Akamenos again! (Thanks for moving him far enough back for a charge, guys.)

Spoiler: Pseudowolf #3

Show

Charge Akamenos
To-Hit: (1d20+7)[19]
Damage: (1d6+5)[10]
Hit: Knocked Prone

Spoiler: Initiative Order

Show

Sectoid Grunts from Inside Airship Pod - 21
-----------------------------
CURRENT PEEPS
Khitan - 20
Kaeravak - 19
Akamenos - 9
Dagrun - 8
---------------
Lieutenant Whifflebottom - 16
Crewmen - 10
-----------------------
Thin Man #1 - 27
Sectoid Heavy Weapons #1 - 12 USED FLASH BANG
Sectoid Trooper #2 - 10
Sectoid Legionnaire #4 - DELAY DOWN TO HERE
Sectoid Legionnaires #1 & #2 & #3 - 7
Pseudowolf #3 - 7
Sectoid Heavy Weapons #2 - 7
------------------
Ferrum - 15
Cinder - 6
-------------------
Tharrok - 11 DELAY
Sectoid Centurion #2 - 6
Captain Delilah - 5
Sectoid Legionnaire #5 - 5
Sectoid Grunts - 4
Sectoid Centurion - 22
Sectoid Trooper - 16
Ichoroids - 3

[Grey_Wolf_c]

Cinder Ashborn, Pixie Harrier

"Sehanine damn him," mutters Cinder darkly as Dagrun's attack misses the enemy leader, "he's a tough bastard, ain't 'im?"

Cinder takes aim herself, while he is distracted with Ferrum, and hopes she can get lucky twice - but knowing that the armour will be a tough sell. To her amazement, her darts fly straight into a chink in the neck area, and out the other side, leaving the creature's head bobbing slightly, before collapsing in on itself. With a cackle of pure glee, she redirects the last few darts at the soldier next to him. The already mangled creature's armour is penetrated easily enough, and he, too, goes down. A second later, one of the unarmoured ones working on the metal tube also goes down, its eyes glazed.

Next, she turns her attention to the next pressing problem: the machine the weak ones are manipulating. With an evil, slightly maniacal, grin she forms a plan that at the very least will make their life a lot harder. Her ancestors would be proud. Cinder bounds off, flying above the parapet and drops, gracefully, hovering over of the thing. Pressing one hand against it, she concentrates, and the bomb starts to shrink, smaller and smaller, until it is only 12 inches long. Then, she flourishes her tiny stinger and says, "let's see you play with the levers now, you bastard!"

Spoiler: Actions

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Standard: Sly Flourish @ Centurion1
To Hit - (1d20+10)[30] (inc. CA)
Damage - (3d6+7)[13] CRIT! 25 (inc. sneak attack)

Move: see map. End at alt. 1

Minor: Shrink @ Bomb.

[Surrealistik]

After seeing Tharrok go down from a point blank blast of the curious green fire, Kaeravak begins to get noticeably perturbed, an agonized grimace spreading wide across his features. He turns to his Deva companion, eyes swept with worry.

"Bunch em up Khitan; if Tharrok can't shove em off, the only way out is through!"

[Irish Musician]

Ferrum, Reforged Satyr Warden

Ferrum sees that most things are under control on the top deck.....until he sees those damn Ichs on the far part of the deck. Knowing their sticky nature in close combat, Ferrum does his best to take them out from afar before they can get too close, at least a few of them anyway.

Spoiler

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Actions
Move - Move up
Minor - Take out Javelin
Standard - Throw said Javelin at #13 (1d20+7)[19](26)
Damage - (1d6+4)[4](8)

After piercing thorough his target, Ferrum smiles. "Come on you sticky *******s! COME AND GET ME!" Taunting the Ichs to attack him.

[Inspectre]

"Tharrok! NO!"

Waifera cries out, as the two X-Ds towering over the fallen dwarf raise their weapons menacingly. Dragging herself across the deck oblivious to the splinters jabbing into her hands as she does so, Waifera crawls to the wreckage of the barricade. There, she is close enough to see Tharrok clearly despite his position on the floor, and in a final act of heroic desperation she breathes a single, clear note. That single magical note is enough to cause Tharrok to stir, and he awakens with a cough and a curse, rolling out of the way as both X-Ds bring their weapons crashing down into the deck where he had just been.

Spoiler: Waifera's Actions

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Move: Crawl to in range of Tharrok (broken barricades are not difficult terrain)
ACTION POINT: Majestic Word on Tharrok, using his last healing surge and giving him 4 extra HP - putting him at 12 HP total.

Still coughing and sputtering, Tharrok looks around the deck blankly, still clearly gathering his thoughts.

Spoiler: Tharrok's Actions

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Tharrok Delays until after Khitan, effectively putting him after the first PC group, just to keep things organized - feel free to take his round whenever.

Unimpressed with the dwarf's sudden recovery, the tall armored X-D's bulbous eyes narrow as it catches sight of the prone Waifera. Tearing the metallic ball off of its harness across its chest, the tall X-D hands the weapon off to its subordinate and then charges forward, weaving around the barricades to come to stand over Waifera. It lifts its harpoon up over its head for a moment, clearly relishing the widening of Waifera's eyes, and then brings the tip of its weapon stabbing down into her back. Waifera screams, the sound cut off halfway through by an eruption of blood from her mouth. The X-D leaves the head of the harpoon in her back, twisting the tines of it inside of her and clearly relishing each gurgle of pain.

[spoiler=Centurion #2's Actions]
Minor: Hand Ichoroid Grenade to Legionnaire #5 (mechanically dropping it on the floor)
Move: Move around the barricade through the empty square to the east, reaching the square to Waifera's southeast (as on the map)
Standard: Harpoon against Waifera (+2 CA)
To-Hit: (1d20+12)[16]
Damage: (2d4+6)[10]
Hit: Waifera is Marked (Save Ends) and Impaled (Until Escape, DC 17, +5 bonus to Athletics & Acrobatics, but using these skills inflicts 2d4 damage. Forced movement to break the grab will inflict 2d4+6 to Waifera. DC 17 Heal will remove the harpoon from her and end the Impale without any damage.)

(Waifera takes 10 damage, dropping her to 3 HP. She is also Marked (Save Ends) and Impaled (until Escape - see spoiler box for details))

Meanwhile, Captain Delilah appears on the top deck of her airship. Pulling a javelin from her back, she hurls it at the remaining unarmored X-D looking pensively at the pint-sized bomb.

"GET OFF MY SHIP DEMON!"

Spoiler: Captain Delilah

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Move: Move to the indicated spot on the top deck
Free: Drop sword
Minor: Pull out Javelin
Standard: Throw javelin at Sectoid Grunt #21
To-Hit: (1d20+7)[19]
Damage: (1d6+2)[7]

The creature obeys, or at least its spirit does, as the javelin goes through one eye and out the back of its head.

Meanwhile, on the bottom deck, the other armored X-D looks at the metallic ball in its hand for a moment, and then thumbs a switch on the side, activating it. It tosses it in an easy underhand throw onto Tharrok's chest, where it explodes into a carpet of ambulatory goo. Then it follows its boss, leaving Tharrok to the untended mercies of the goo creatures.

Spoiler: Sectoid Legionnaire #5's Actions

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Minor: Accept Ichoroid Grenade from Centurion (mechanically pick it up from the floor)
Standard: Throw grenade onto Tharrok, summoning two Ichoroids which attack immediately, and will continue to attack on the Legionnaire's initiative.

Ichoroid #17 (vs Reflex, +2 CA)
To-Hit: (1d20+6)[15]
Damage: 3
Hit Location: (1d4)[2]

Ichoroid #18 (vs Reflex, +2 CA)
To-Hit: (1d20+6)[25]
Damage: 3
Hit Location: (1d4)[3]

Move: Follow after Centurion #2, ending in the indicated square on the map

Tharrok is swiftly covered from the waist up to the eyes by the roiling goo, and struggle as the dwarf might, he is unable to free himself at present.

(Tharrok takes 6 damage, is Suffocating, Restrained, and Can't Attack (Until Escape, DC 18)

[Inspectre]

Down in the hold, the last two unarmored X-Ds have a group huddle, and then advance forward together. One simply ducks down behind cover beside the tube-equipped X-D, concentrating on something. The other lowers its crossbow to point down at Tharrok's head and releases a bolt.

Spoiler: Sectoid Grunts

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Sectoid Grunt #18
Move: Move to beside Trooper #2
Standard: Mental Link on Sectoid Grunt #20

Sectoid Grunt #20
Move: Move to indicated position
Standard: Shoot Tharrok (+2 CA, +1 Mental Link)
To-Hit: (1d20+9)[18]
Damage: 9

Up on the top deck, the group of ambulatory goo globules reaches the top deck and race towards the nearest targets - the two at the back target Dagrun, while the remaining three near the front answer Ferrum's challenge.

Spoiler: Ichoroids

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Ichoroid #11
Move: Move up onto the top deck
Standard: Charge Ferrum (+1 Charge, vs Reflex)
To-Hit: (1d20+5)[7]
Damage: 3
Hit Location: (1d4)[1]

Ichoroid #12
Move: Move up onto the top deck
Standard: Charge Ferrum (+1 Charge, vs Reflex)
To-Hit: (1d20+5)[18]
Damage: 3
Hit Location: (1d4)[3]

Ihcoroid #14
Move: Move up onto the top deck
Standard: Charge Ferrum (+1 Charge, vs Reflex)
To-Hit: (1d20+5)[25]
Damage: 3
Hit Location: (1d4)[3]

Ichoroid #15
Move: Move up onto the top deck
Standard: Charge Dagrun (+1 Charge, vs Reflex)
To-Hit: (1d20+5)[18]
Damage: 3
Hit Location: (1d4)[4]

Ichoroid #16
Move: Move up onto the top deck
Standard: Charge Dagrun (+1 Charge, vs Reflex)
To-Hit: (1d20+5)[23]
Damage: 3
Hit Location: (1d4)[4]

(Ferrum & Dagrun are both hit twice, inflicting the same status conditions: Prone, Pinned (Can't Stand from Prone), Both them and the Ichoroids grabbing them are Immune to Forced Movement, Restrained, Can't Attack, All Until Escape (which removes both grabbing Ichoroids at once - but DC 18. They also both take 6 damage).

-END ROUND 4-

And then the keening roar becomes a deafening boom as the aerial predator appears, streaking out of the sky to rain a stream of fiery green death down on the Archangel!

Spoiler: UFO Attack

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Damage to the Archangel: (2d8+6)[14] Fire/Lightning
Sliding caused by the attack: (1d4-2)[2]
Direction of the Slide (1 is North, clockwise from there): (1d8)[2]
Direction that the UFO banks to avoid a collision: (1d8)[5]

Spoiler: Initiative Order

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Sectoid Grunts from Inside Airship Pod - 21
-----------------------------
CURRENT PEEPS
Khitan - 20
Kaeravak - 19
Akamenos - 9
Dagrun - 8
---------------
Tharrok - 11 DELAY
Lieutenant Whifflebottom - 16
Crewmen - 10
-----------------------
Sectoid Trooper #2 - 10
Sectoid Legionnaire #4 - DELAY DOWN TO HERE
Pseudowolf #3 - 7
------------------
Ferrum - 15
Cinder - 6
-------------------
Sectoid Centurion #2 - 6
Captain Delilah - 5
Sectoid Legionnaire #5 - 5
Sectoid Grunts - 4
Sectoid Trooper - 16 UNCONSCIOUS
Ichoroids - 3

[Inspectre]

Spoiler: Rules for UFO and Archangel

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1) At the end of every round until either the Archangel is destroyed or the UFO is destroyed/driven off, the UFO will launch an attack against the Archangel. This will automatically inflict a moderate amount of damage on the airship, causing it to shake violently.
2) Battle Damage to the Archangel causes it to shake violently, throwing everyone aboard about like rag dolls. This shaking will get worse as the battle goes on and the Archangel sustains more damage. This forced movement automatically hits everyone, and moves them in the same direction and distance unless they have some resistance to forced movement (dwarf), or are holding onto something affixed to the airship's frame - this could be a ballista, the controls, or even the wall. Holding on requires a move action, and to be adjacent to the object you are holding onto, however. Being glued to the floor by Ichoroids or a harpoon through your stomach also works.
3) The UFO is moving like a blur at the moment, making it almost impossible to attack - only Readied actions set to trigger when it speeds into range will be able to hit it (that and ballistas).
4) After completing its attack, the UFO will choose a direction to bank away on, so as to avoid a collision with the Archangel (this is a very good thing). It rolls a d8, and the results determine what direction it goes.

• 1: Up over the airship (only top deck can fire on it)
• 2-4: To the Left (anyone on the four leftmost squares of the airship can attack as it speeds past, provided they have Readied an action to do so)
• 5-7: To the Right (anyone on the four rightmost squares of the airship can attack as it speeds past, provided they have Readied an action to do so)
• 8: Underneath the airship (only bottom deck can fire on it)

5) If you are up on the top deck, you can use Perception vs DC 15 as a minor action to determine what direction the UFO will bank ahead of time, allowing you to alert everyone so that they can move into position and be ready for it.
6) Occasionally the UFO will stop to hover and unleash some other sort of attack upon the Archangel. This skips the other steps, and while it will still pick a direction to hover in, anyone can run to the appropriate area and launch attacks without having to Ready an action.
7) The Archangel is Bloodied (starts at 200/400 HP), is immune to any sort of forced movement effect, being Knocked Prone, etc, and cannot be Healed. When it hits 0 HP, you crash.
8) The UFO is Bloodied (starts at ???/??? HP), is immune to any sort of forced movement effect, being Knocked Prone, etc, and cannot be Healed. When it flees/crashes, and the last of the X-Ds that are still aboard are dead, you win!
9) If you are at the controls of the Archangel up on the top deck, you may use a Move action to pilot the Archangel. This uses the Piloting skill, a special Dexterity-based skill that none of you are trained in (as yet). As a result of using your move to pilot the Archangel, you may attempt to use the Pilot skill to achieve the following effects (plus you are personally immune to the Archangel-damage slide):

• Steady the Ship - DC 10 Reduce the forced movement of the slide from the Archangel taking damage by 3, plus an additional 1 for every 5 points above the DC 10.
• Combat Maneuvering - DC 15 Maneuver the Archangel to an advantangeous position, granting everyone aboard a +2 circumstance bonus to hit the UFO until the start of your next turn. Gain an additional +1 to-hit for every 5 points above the DC 15. (Also includes Steady the Ship)
• Defensive Maneuvering - DC 20 Reduce the damage that the Archangel takes by half. (Also includes Combat Maneuvering and Steady the Ship).

(Technically this is a new fight, so this calls for a new battle theme!)

Battle Theme Music

Battle Map

Spoiler: Initiative Order

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Sectoid Grunts from Inside Airship Pod - 21
-----------------------------
CURRENT PEEPS
Khitan - 20
Kaeravak - 19
Akamenos - 9
Dagrun - 8
---------------
Tharrok - 11 DELAY
Lieutenant Whifflebottom - 16
Crewmen - 10
-----------------------
Sectoid Trooper #2 - 10
Sectoid Legionnaire #4 - DELAY DOWN TO HERE
Pseudowolf #3 - 7
------------------
Ferrum - 15
Cinder - 6
-------------------
Sectoid Centurion #2 - 6
Captain Delilah - 5
Sectoid Legionnaire #5 - 5
Sectoid Grunts - 4
Sectoid Trooper - 16 UNCONSCIOUS
Ichoroids - 3
---------------------
UFO - ALWAYS GOES LAST

Khitan, Akamenos, Kaeravak, and Dagrun are all up!

[Inspectre]

As the UFO speeds past, the crewman down in the middle deck with Ensign Wedge fires his ballista!

Spoiler: Crewman

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To-Hit: (1d20+7)[13]
Damage: (4d6)[16] plus (2d6)[7] Fire

[Azktor]

Khitan Godspeaker, Deva Invoker

Khitans moves across the ship near Tharrok. He raises his staff in the air and then an Astral energy surges though his body, transfoming him into a beacon of divine terror. All enemies around him feel the terror in their chest.

Spoiler: Khitan's Action

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Move: to the place the Green arrow show in the map.
Standard: Astral Terror Attack vs Will:
Attack vs SC2 (1d20+5)[9]
Attack vs SL5 (1d20+5)[11]
Attack vs SG20 (1d20+5)[7]
Attack vs SG18 (1d20+5)[21]
Attack vs ST2 (1d20+5)[13]
Attack vs Icharoid (1d20+5)[16]
On hit I also push 2 squares!
Damage (1d6+4)[9]