At the Edge of Humanity {IC}

[whoiam]

"I am willing to go first, and try killing the half-elf under cover of invisibility and silence."

[blackwind1kaze]

Vutha puts his tiny sword up close to his mouth where he whispers a word to it. After doing so, the sword itself seems to start bending and unfolding until it forms into a bigger version of the sword. "I can even attempt to hinder the mage to give everyone attacking her a better chance on hitting her. The gods seem to have granted me that ability", Vutha then whispers to the group. "Unfortunately I'll need to be pretty close to her to make it work."

[Swami Monsoon]

"When they rush up to attack the first of us to break cover, I'm going to spray as many of them as I can with, uh, slime. It will burn them and hinder their movement..."

[Stegyre]

Tai

"I was thinking that we just blast her from range," says the large rat. He shrugs, curious as to his companions' abilities. "Maybe I should watch what the rest of you do and provide support where I think is best."

Spoiler

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Okay, whoever attacks the half-elf first. If she's still functioning after your attacks, Tai can hit her with an energy ray. On the other hand, if she's taken down, my next best move is probably to entangle the slavers' meleer -- probably Ned the Half-Troll.

[blackwind1kaze]

[OOC: assuming I get Invisibility and Silence on me]

Turn 1:
Vutha Double Moves from E9 to AA5.

Turn 2:
Once everyone is positioned good, Vutha will use his swift action to cast Expansion (6PP for swift + 6PP for Huge Size + 2PP for 10 min/level + 1PP for casting).
As his Move action he'll move 15 feet to AG5.
Then as his Standard action, he'll attack Nielle.

Spoiler: Combat

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Vanguard Strike
(1d20+13)[29]
*+13 normally, the +2 and -2 cancel each other*
On Hit: (6d8+10)[39] & all my allies gain a +4 bonus on ranged and melee attacks against that target until the start of my next turn.
*+3d8 for colossal weapon size, +3 DAM from size*
If CRIT (19-20/x2): (1d20+13)[18], if success, double damage rolled.

Spoiler: Current AC, Stats, PP, and other stuff

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STR +2 mod, Dex -2 mod, -2 ATK rolls, -2 AC
AC Total: 18 (22 - 4)
PP Pool: 10/25
Current Stance: Martial Spirit (+2 HP on hit to me or Ally within 30 feet, my choice.)

Spoiler: Maneuvers

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Vanguard Strike - Used
Leading the Attack
Crusader's Strike - Readied
Douse the Flames
Mountain Hammer - Readied
(1d3)[2] for which one gets readied

[whoiam]

Spoiler: OOC

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Presumably, Alala's starting from far enough back to get a proper charge in, despite her position on the initial map...

Alala starts most battles in a fairly predictable manner - pulling out a lance, and charging someone. Her first choice is Nielle (charge ending in AE 7), but if Vutha's turn resolves before hers and Nielle's dead in the first attack, she'll go after Ned instead (finishing in AE9). She does at least leave the warcry off this time - not wanting to warn the enemy they're under attack until her invisibility is stripped away by her first blow...

Spoiler: Combat

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• Alala's in Leading the Charge stance, granting a +12 damage bonus to charge attacks for herself and all allies within 60'.
• She charges, granting +2 to hit and -2 to AC
• She expends Battle Leader's Charge to add another +10 damage to her charge.
• She applies 8 points of Power Attack, adding +16 damage to her attack and subtracting 8 from her attack roll
• She uses Heedless Charge from Shock Trooper to shift all 8 points of attack penalty onto her AC instead.

In Total: +2 to hit, +38 to damage, -10 to AC.

"Attack" - (1d20+19)[39]
"Damage" - (2d6+53)[65]

Here's hoping it's spectacular... *crosses fingers*

[whoiam]

Spoiler: Combat

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"Crit Confirmation Roll" - (1d20+19)[22]

Cmon, crit, I want my triple damage!

[JonRG]

Jerid's allies attack swiftly and brutally. Good. Now it was his turn. He flies into the fray, ready to bite someone's throat out.

Spoiler: Combat

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If Nielle is somehow not dead after all that, Jerid will go for her. If not, he'll go for Sit. AI - 11 would be his position either way.

[b]Attack!:[b] (1d20+15)[27]
Damage: (1d6+5)[10] + (4d6)[20]

[Swami Monsoon]

Omar approaches the campfire and releases a spray of clinging, acidic slime into the largest clump of enemies...

Spoiler

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Move to AC-9
Breath weapon in 15' cone angled roughly SE across campfire area, trying to get at least Sit and Ned, and hopefully "Shash"
Acid breath w/entangling exhalation (half damage)
Damage = (2d6)[5]
Entangled for additional (1d4)[2] rounds, taking an additional 1d6/rd

[Incendius]

A brilliant series of coruscating lights flash in and around the gathered slavers. Their bodies and the entire campgrounds around and behind them becomes coated in a luminescent substance, but that is subtle compared to the effect on their minds.

Spoiler: OOC

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DC 20 Will save or they get -10 to Initiative.
They automatically get -2 to AC and attacks until my next round unless they are immune to mind affectin effects.

DC 20 Will save or they are blinded by glitterdust. Ideally Xylona would do the glitterdust before Jerid charges in, but elsewise she gets three of them. Edit: Ned, Sit, and Illus to be precise)

Since these aren't 'attacks' I think that Xylona's invisibilty doesn't drop, right?

[Stegyre]

Tai

The rest of the slavers seem to be well in hand. His eyes flash with a strange glow as a glob of ectoplasm manifests and toward Dobson, the half-orc. Then he scurries to the cover of the tent.

Spoiler

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Manifest entangling ectoplasm; ranged touch attack: (1d20+19)[21] -- that's just counting my own BAB+Dex+K Devotion bonus; any other bonus for others' maneuvers would be on top of that. It's a no-save, entangled for five rounds, if it hits. Nasty stuff, but it does not instantly reduce someone to paste like a critical on a charge.

EDIT: wow, that was just . . . an awful roll, barely avoiding the auto-miss. I might need some of those other bonuses after all.

EDIT, EDIT: Forgot, this is the surprise round, so only a single standard or move action; any scurrying will need to wait for the first combat round.

[~Corvus~]

Xylona manages to make Alala and Vutha invisible, then casts silence for the party to move under. Vutha manages to become huge and only due to his invisibility, is not seen. As they move, they notice the slavers are gathered around the fire and intent upon warming themselves while eagerly anticipating what's cooking. They couldn't have chosen a better time to move in, it seems.

As Xylona places her Shock and Awe, she also manages to cast down a Glitterdust which reveals herself, while Omar breathes down fire that seems to cling to the humanoids around the fire, and make the dust shine ever brighter. In those few moments, Vutha maneuvers himself into position and strikes just before Alala crashes into the warlock named Nielle, impaling her straight through the chest. She grins, however, and does not move.

As the blows rain down, Jerid and Vutha note--with some shock--that the form of Nielle is actually warping and it fades from visibility. Jerid quickly looks past the combat to the others, and he catches glints of the fine dust misting through the half-orc's Dobson’s form. He tries to communicate this to the party as he prepares to bite the rogue, but his words fail upon the silence of Xylona’s spell. Sit, straining under the entangling fire and glitter, can do little to against the dragon’s bite.

In the rush of the combat, Tai watches the fine dust gather and fires upon the half-orc. This form, too, flexes upon interacting with the spell, and the rat quickly realizes that this, too, is an illusion.

There is little warning, however, for Jeridexeles, Tai, Vutha, and Alala as an arrow arcs down from the sky and soundlessly detonates around the party. A second arrow passes by Vutha’s left leg and detonates behind the party’s backs.

Spoiler: During Surprise

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(7d6)[22] Half fire damageif you saved. Fortunately for the party, everyone who has Endure Exposure is immune. this round. Vutha takes 15 less than the above.

The rogue whom is still warped around the log takes the brunt of the blast, has no means of escaping and can do little but writhe in pain as more fire envelops him.

[~Corvus~]

As the group of adventurers is about to react, another two arrows fly onto the tall, burning tent, and another clangs off the cooking pot. The arrows shine brightly, and all of the shadows in the area disappear. It wouldn't appear as if the day could get brighter, but in ten feet around them, the Glitterdust flashes even more brightly, making it difficult for anyone to see in those directions.

Spoiler: Round 1 (Dobson)

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Two bright arrows appear @ W-9 and AE-13.

Looking past square bounded by Z-8/Z18/AH-8/AH-18 results, effectively, in blindness until you look away.

Spoiler: DC 17 Spellcraft check

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Dawnburst - CompMage 101

Note: the areas in orange are singed by the fireball blast. As this tallgrass is not dry, there seems to be no fire. The tents, however, are burning.

The entire party finds it impossible to look at Ned the grey-skinned humanoid as he is basked in radiant light amplified by his coating of fine Glitterdust and the clinging, burning fire that currently encases him.

[Stegyre]

Tai
Instinctively, Tai reacts against the blast of fire.

Spoiler

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Reflex save: (1d20+13)[33], and for good effect, immediate action damp power (CPsi 82), augmented to benefit the entire party, "Because that's just the kind of rat I am." Fire damage is now reduced to 1 point per die, or 7 in this case, for those who fail their save.

EDIT: Wow, shouldn't a natural 20 on a Ref save be like evasion, or something?

Clever girl. Tai does not recall where he has read that expression before, but it seems appropriate here. The slavers were neither so defenseless nor so surprised as they had appeared. Lessons to be learned from that.

I can be clever, too. He sniffs the air, swinging his head back and forth, searching for their smell and ignoring what his vision says.

Spoiler

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Using scent to try to detect the presence of the other three, then using a Move action to determine the direction (in order of preference) of Niellere, Sit, or Dobson.

Standard Action: ready (manifest Brain Lock on the first available target within range).

[JonRG]

Jerid attempts to dodge out of the rain of fire.

Spoiler

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Reflex: (1d20+11)[15]

[Swami Monsoon]

Omar looks around frantically, trying to find the hidden enemies.
In the meantime he keeps up the attack on the ones he can see, spewing another spray of caustic slime...

Spoiler

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Reflex save (1d20+8)[17]
Breath weapon vs. same 2 targets
Damage (4d6)[8]
Continuing damage (1d6)[3]

[whoiam]

One of the harsher lessons Alala had picked up in the arena was about surprises. Namely, you couldn't afford to take a few moments to gather your wits, you had to act. And sitting in the fire would be a bad idea, even with.... whatever Omar had done to her. She spun around to face the tents. The dazzling-bright arrows were on the north side of the nearest one, so she immediately headed south (ignoring what she assumed were just more illusions in the fire) and slipped behind the square tent. Dropping her speed down to a walk, she ducked her head down to grass level and tried moving quietly towards the long grass to the west...

"Stealth" - (1d20+11)[23]

Spoiler: OOC

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Moving at full speed for a move action to loop around behind the 'Square' and 'Normal' tents. Then using her standard action to move at half-speed (utilising the stealth roll above) from the cover of the tents into the long grass around O11 or so.

[Incendius]

Wincing at the sudden brightness, Xylona waves a gloved hand at the brilliantly shining half-troll, launching a quartet of viridian missiles at his form.

She then starts to move, seeking obscuring shelter in the tall grass.

"Bia, seek!" A barked command is followed by a real bark as her canine companion sniffs at the air.

Spoiler

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Totally forgot about my dog...

Bia is going to attempt a survival roll to track/find the hidden foes. Xylona uses her Gloves of the Starry sky to cast magic missile at Ned and moves to 03 to crouch in the tall grass, hoping to get some concealment for the next round. Bia's going to move towards her foes if she finds them.

Magic Missle - (4d4+4)[16]
Bia Track - (1d20+9)[18]

And a stealth roll if needed for Xylona.

Stealth - (1d20+15)[18]

[JonRG]

Rankling as the fire impacts his scales, Jerid flies to the northeast and stretches his 'sixth sense', which was really an amalgamation of the regular five senses. The slavers must have had invisibility tricks too.

Spoiler

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Gonna sweep my way northeast. Not gonna jet out like 200 ft, but gonna try to cover as much area as I can in an effort to find this meddlesome archer without getting skewered.

[~Corvus~]

Jerid's sweep of the area to the Northeast reveals a rapidly-fleeing form at the apex of his turn away from the camp. He recognizes the sense as similar to the one possessed by the illusory caster.

Bia whines at Xylona; it looks as if without a sound to hear, it will be difficult to hear. Nonetheless, the wolf intuits her intent once she activates a device.

The wolf gives a silent bark and rushes over to Ned and tries to bite the half-troll as Xy's magic missiles smash into him. Bia pokes around the still-clinging fire and, as he writhes, finds purchase with his windpipe, spilling pinkish blood onto the glittering dust.

Bia watches the man bleed out, wincing from the harsh glare, and sniffs at his form. She looks over to Sit, nips at the rogue's head, and looks back at Xylona.

[blackwind1kaze]

Vutha moves over to attack Sit with his sword that seems to be as strong as a mountain.

Moves: from AI5 to AM9

Spoiler: Combat

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Mountain Hammer
(1d20+13)[25]
*+13 normally, the +2 and -2 cancel each other*
On Hit: (6d8+10)[40] + (2d6)[4] and the attack ignores DR and Hardness.
*+3d8 for colossal weapon size, +3 DAM from size*
If CRIT (19-20/x2): (1d20+13)[18], if success, double damage rolled.

Spoiler: Current AC, Stats, PP, and other stuff

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Current HP: 80/80
Expansion lasts for 60 minutes (-1 Round)
STR +2 mod, Dex -2 mod, -2 ATK rolls, -2 AC
AC Total: 18 (22 - 4)
PP Pool: 10/25
Current Stance: Martial Spirit (+2 HP on hit to me or Ally within 30 feet, my choice.)

Spoiler: Maneuvers

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Vanguard Strike - Used
Leading the Attack - *Readied
Crusader's Strike - Readied
Douse the Flames
Mountain Hammer - Used
(1d2)[1] for which one gets readied

[~Corvus~]

Vutha moves and swipes his massive sword at Sit, whom is still straining against his incendiary restraints. As the sword cleaves into his back, blood pools onto the ground and slowly makes its way over to the cauldron-area. There is a hiss and a foul scent of burning blood mixed with the pleasant scents of the stew still happily bubbling away.

Alala cautiously blends into the grass, doing what she can to avoid the next anticipated round of arrows.

However, no arrows come. Omar notices that the vibrations he picked up earlier become present to his tremor-sense again, and instead of fading like they did before, they simply....vanish.

Jerid suddenly notices the unfamiliar form of someone rapidly-approaching from direction of the road. He doesn't have to wait long.

Spoiler: what they see

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A dwarf bursts through the grass from the road-side of the enclosed space. He looks to be the one you're seeking, but with seven protruding arrows and many scorch marks about his body. Much of his clothing, hair and former equipment is charred or burnt. He runs towards the...burning tents?

It is clear that he is confused, and he opens his mouth to speak, and it looks like he is saying what ___ ___--, but his momentum carries him forward and distracts him from his flight. Both of his hands are clenched and tighten as he crashes to the ground.

Just as he falls, a swirl of dark colors appears behind the dwarf. Niellere the caster steps out, her sword awash with glowing red and purple sigils and a grin of triumph upon her face. Tai recognizes his power has gone off and failed.

Niellere looks down to the dwarf, and the sphere of silence prevents many from hearing what she says next. Give ___ ___ _____, she tells him, __ _ ___ ___ __ ________ is all Xy and Alala can work out.

Spoiler

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Spoiler: Int check DC 17 or not Xylona or Alala

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Give me the goods, And I let you die honorably.

[Stegyre]

Tai

Fine. Get webbed., Tai thinks, as he scurries around the tent and manifests another glob of ectoplasm, whipping it toward the half-elf.

Spoiler

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Move Action: I believe I can scurry over to S10.
Standard Action entangling ectoplasm, entangled upon a successful touch attack: (1d20+19)[32]

I figure, I can immobilize her and let Alala do what she enjoys doing so well.

[~Corvus~]

As the glob of goo hits her and encases much of her body, she frowns and whispers, This won't save you.

[Incendius]

Xylona rushes out of the undergrowth in a swift charge straight for the fallen dwarf. "Bia, take down!" She shouts with an outstretched arm pointed at the half-elf, the noise resounding everywhere but near the target. In an almost slide she skids next to the dwarf, reaching down to touch him even as the three dull stones on her belt suddenly gleam white.

Spoiler: ooc

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Xylona is going to command Bia to attack, with the intent of Bia charing, doing so, and activating her wolf trip ability on a successful attack.

Since you handled it last time I thought you might want to be in control of Bia again, but let me know if that should be otherwise.

Xylona is then going to activate her healing belt for 3 charges and use it on the dwarf.

Healing - (4d8)[16]

If possible, she will also cast a Silent Hesitate, DC 21 Will save (or 22 if she is denied dex due to entangle/otherwise) or lose her standard(/immediate?) action, as an immediate action on the half-elf if she moves to attack the dwarf during the next turn.

[whoiam]

Alala had been... unsure... as to whether to charge the half-elf for a second time or not. But then the ectoplasm hit her... Good a sign as any that this one was really there.

So she spins around and is more or less instantly back up to charging speed...

Spoiler: Combat

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Alala's charging back to Q17 (it's just far enough...) to try killing the half-elf again.

Alala's (still) in Leading the Charge stance, granting a +12 damage bonus to charge attacks for herself and all allies within 60'.
She charges, granting +2 to hit and -2 to AC
She applies 8 points of Power Attack, adding +16 damage to her attack and subtracting 8 from her attack roll
She uses Heedless Charge from Shock Trooper to shift all 8 points of attack penalty onto her AC instead.

In Total: +2 to hit, +28 to damage, -10 to AC.
"Attack" - (1d20+19)[36]
"Damage" - (2d6+43)[52]x2 for charging with a lance (yeah, I forgot last round that Centaurs get that bonus same as mounted combatants...)

[~Corvus~]

Xylona makes an order to her dog. It appears that Ned the half-troll has died, and Bia gives a start and rushes over to attack the entangled half-elf without delay.

Spoiler: combat

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Edit: whoiam, we seem to have posted around the same time!

AoO: Niellere
(touch attack at -6) (1d20+10)[24] hit
(if threat) (1d20+15)[35]
damage: 4 magic 5 slashing
(on target if hit): applies -4 to: AC; attack; saves; ability checks; skill checks.
(on target if hit): applies 50% chance to do nothing or act normally.

Bia:
Has -4 AC, atk, saves, abil&skill checks; 50% chance to do nothing or act.
Acts as normal this round
Bite (1d20+10)[29] (-4 if hit by AoO) hit
(crit) (1d20+10)[22] (-4 if hit by AoO)
damage (1d6+7)[13] (x2 crit)
Free Trip (1d20+11)[29] (if hit on bite above; -4 if hit by AoO) hit, success

Niellere is Entangled and Grappled and Prone.

Bia yelps as the half-elf's sword cuts into her, spreading a purple-looking substance into her wound. Nevertheless, she bites into Niellere's leg and savagely wrenches her off the ground. Niellere falls and her head hits the ground with a plant-cushioned whamp.

[~Corvus~]

Just then, Alala's charge lands her spear straight into the cursemistress's chest. Niellere gasps in surprise, and whispers charam gorsheh behnoo-ss

As she finishes the phrase with a hiss, the runes in Niellere's sword gather the light from the surrounding area, contrasting the brilliance of the burning tents and brilliant light with great darkness. Three streams of blood from the still-open cuts upon the dwarf, despite Xylona's attempts to heal him. The wind rushes all around Niellere and gathers into her sword. The gust extinguishes the fire, the burning tents, much of the smouldering tallgrass, and swirls dirt upon the ground, and even sucks the light out of

For a heartbeat, Niellere and her sword glow purple, but her body fades into black dust, only to be gathered into the surrounding cloud of dust of her sword.

In the next heartbeat, the sword, awkwardly held and pointed at the ground, falls. As it hits the dust, a purple-red-and-black vortex streams upwards into the air and arcs down into the dwarf's chest, exploding through him in a squelching tremor that makes him gasp wildly. A black-and-purple hole has taken out his stomach, his hips, and disconnected his legs from his body.

Spoiler: notes

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Combat is over!

The sword remains, its red and purple sigils faded.

[Stegyre]

Tai

"I've heard that some creatures can perform miraculous healings with the right incantations

*mumble* *mumble* *hurdy* *gurdy* *petunia* *fahrenheit*" He touches paws the dwarf's disjointed parts, "You never know?"

Spoiler

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Spend an inspiration point for some opportunistic piety – because that's just the sort of rat he is – heals 27 HP . . . if the dwarf is not already dead.

Meanwhile, better understand the enemy better. What does Tai know about cursemistresses? K(arcane): (1d20+17)[25] and this strange sword: (1d20+27)[47] (using another inspiration point on Cunning Knowledge for this one – it looks special.

EDIT: Ooh, Nat 20! Surely, I've read something about this sword somewhere.

[JonRG]

Jerid flies over, spitting on Niellere's ashes. "Is he dead?" the dragon asks calmly.