Strange Aeons: Lovecraftian Affair [DMOOCH]

[lostsole31]

R10T16: Jens draws from the Noblewoman once more to restore his body’s worsening condition, gaining 6 healing.

Meanwhile, inside the cottage the woman signs and falls, her dagger spilling from her hand, and the dark energy on her hand dissipating.

Back outside, Jens then tries to safely pull distance from the topiary, though he ends up getting next to the other topiary in doing so. He then says over the collective, after re-activating it...

Spoiler: Jens >>> Collective

Show

”Sorry if I am interrupting, but the topiary is back and trying to kill Dorn and I.”

R10T6: Dorn just uses his voice, "It's alright lad, they just brought her down, so we'll have help in a second."

Dorn then slashes the topiary with his silver dagger for 5.

End Round 10, Begin Round 11 ...

R11T31: Kris flies out the door and acrobatically up to not get tagged by the topiary and concentrates, a peal of thunder sounding over by the tree to the east, dealing 3 sonic to that one.

R11T24-23: Red Topiary continues to attack Dorn, even though a squishier person presented themselves (Jens). The first "hoof" crits Dorn in the head for 12 mod as the second attack hits Dorn in the groin ineffectually. Green topiary, on the other hand, ducks back into the tree.

R11T22: Brother Jaume, what do you do? The woman is down, and topiaries outside.

Vilma on deck, Flair in the hole ...

Spoiler: Battle Tracker

Show

HEROES: Bless til R43T22: +1 morale bonus to attack rolls & saves vs. fear.
Kris: 31. Mage armor for 4 hours.
Red Topiary: 24. (17:60).
Green Topiary: 23. (14:60).
Brother Jaume: 22.
* Weapon of awe on quarterstaff til R42T22. If it scores crit, target is shaken for 1 rd, no save.
Vilma: 19. STR Mutagen for 39 minutes. Justice judgment (+1 attack rolls) active (incl. on sheet).
Flair: 17. Loaded crossbow.
Jens: 16. Dagger in hand. Organ rupture (1d4 BLEED!!!)
Dorn: 6. Divine favor til R19T6 (+1 luck attack & damage rolls).
Daelene Spence: 5. Dagger on floor. Awkward (-2 AC) til R12T5 (DC 20 Acrobatics check removes). UNCONSCIOUS!!!
* 1 STR damage from ray of enfeeblment til R14T31.
* SMITE vs. Brother Jaume! (+4 attack rolls [CHA], +6 damage [CL], +4 deflection bonus to AC).
* SMITE vs. Vilma for same, but she has yet to collect on the double damage effect.
* Unwilling participant in collective.

DEAD
Blue Topiary. Asa Lalith.

[lostsole31]

R11T22: Brother Jaume heads outside to help fend off the bushy beasts, but in trying to not be 10' below Kris but adjacent to her, but still able to strike a topiary, he ends up getting slammed by an AOO in his left lower arm for 8. He goes to return the favor by slamming the topiary horse with his staff for 12 mod. Then, in completely straight-faced hypocrisy, the wounded friar calls out, “Inside is clear. Get inside if you are wounded!”

R11T19: Vilma, what do you do?

Flair on deck, Jens in the hole ...

Spoiler: Battle Tracker

Show

HEROES: Bless til R43T22: +1 morale bonus to attack rolls & saves vs. fear.
Kris: 31. Mage armor for 4 hours.
Red Topiary: 24. (5:60).
Green Topiary: 23. (14:60).
Brother Jaume: 22.
* Weapon of awe on quarterstaff til R42T22. If it scores crit, target is shaken for 1 rd, no save.
Vilma: 19. STR Mutagen for 39 minutes. Justice judgment (+1 attack rolls) active (incl. on sheet).
Flair: 17. Loaded crossbow.
Jens: 16. Dagger in hand. Organ rupture.
Dorn: 6. Divine favor til R19T6 (+1 luck attack & damage rolls).
Daelene Spence: 5. Dagger on floor. Awkward (-2 AC) til R12T5 (DC 20 Acrobatics check removes). UNCONSCIOUS!!!
* 1 STR damage from ray of enfeeblment til R14T31.
* SMITE vs. Brother Jaume! (+4 attack rolls [CHA], +6 damage [CL], +4 deflection bonus to AC).
* SMITE vs. Vilma for same, but she has yet to collect on the double damage effect.
* Unwilling participant in collective.

DEAD
Blue Topiary. Asa Lalith.

[lostsole31]

R11T19: Vilma gets out of the cottage and closes to engage the horse topiary.

R11T17: There is the sound of a crossbow triggering from inside the cottage at the same time as there is the sound of a thickening wet *CHONK* sound.

R11T16: Jens, what do you do?

Dorn on deck, Kris in the hole ...

Spoiler: Battle Tracker

Show

HEROES: Bless til R43T22: +1 morale bonus to attack rolls & saves vs. fear.
Kris: 31. Mage armor for 4 hours.
Red Topiary: 24. (5:60).
Green Topiary: 23. (14:60).
Brother Jaume: 22.
* Weapon of awe on quarterstaff til R42T22. If it scores crit, target is shaken for 1 rd, no save.
Vilma: 19. STR Mutagen for 39 minutes. Justice judgment (+1 attack rolls) active (incl. on sheet).
Flair: 17. Unloaded crossbow.
Jens: 16. Dagger in hand. Organ rupture.
Dorn: 6. Divine favor til R19T6 (+1 luck attack & damage rolls).
Daelene Spence: 5. Dagger on floor. Awkward (-2 AC) til R12T5 (DC 20 Acrobatics check removes). DYING!!!
* 1 STR damage from ray of enfeeblment til R14T31.
* SMITE vs. Brother Jaume! (+4 attack rolls [CHA], +6 damage [CL], +4 deflection bonus to AC).
* SMITE vs. Vilma for same, but she has yet to collect on the double damage effect.
* Unwilling participant in collective.

DEAD
Blue Topiary. Asa Lalith.

[lostsole31]

R11T16: Wanting to aid a bit before disengaging, Jens gathers power once more with the usual display of stone crashing together noisily before summoning a blade and chopping at the topiary the group surrounds. He does a spinning swing that misses and turns him around, sickening him from dizziness before he stumbles behind Dorn for protection. "The grasshopper went back in the tree. Likely to heal."

R11T6: "Everyone, surround this one and make sure it stays down this time!" Dorn barks. He then slides into the spot Jens was in a minute ago and slashes the horse-shrub for 7, dropping it. "Make sure it's down!"

End Round 11, Begin Round 12 ...

R12T31: Kris lands opposite Brother Jaume and stabs the horse shrub with a crit, dealing 11 + 3 electricity. "That should do it. Now the next time the grasshopper shows up, yeah ... what Dorn said."

R12T22: Brother Jaume, what do you do?

Vilma on deck, Flair in the hole ...

Spoiler: Battle Tracker

Show

HEROES: Bless til R43T22: +1 morale bonus to attack rolls & saves vs. fear.
Kris: 31. Mage armor for 4 hours.
Green Topiary: 23. (22:60).
Brother Jaume: 22.
* Weapon of awe on quarterstaff til R42T22. If it scores crit, target is shaken for 1 rd, no save.
Vilma: 19. STR Mutagen for 39 minutes. Justice judgment (+1 attack rolls) active (incl. on sheet).
Flair: 17. Unloaded crossbow.
Jens: 16. SICKENED til R15T16 (FRA would be needed to regain composure).
Dorn: 6. Divine favor til R19T6 (+1 luck attack & damage rolls).
Daelene Spence: 5. Dagger on floor. Awkward (-2 AC) til R12T5 (DC 20 Acrobatics check removes). DYING!!!
* 1 STR damage from ray of enfeeblment til R14T31.
* SMITE vs. Brother Jaume! (+4 attack rolls [CHA], +6 damage [CL], +4 deflection bonus to AC).
* SMITE vs. Vilma for same, but she has yet to collect on the double damage effect.
* Unwilling participant in collective.

DEAD
Living Topiary (2). Asa Lalith.

[lostsole31]

R12T22: Bj leans heavily against his staff and takes a moment to recover and pray for healing, and getting 10. “Let us move inside out of the rain.”

R12T19: Vilma, what do you do?

Flair on deck, Jens in the hole ...

Spoiler: Battle Tracker

Show

HEROES: Bless til R43T22: +1 morale bonus to attack rolls & saves vs. fear.
Kris: 31. Mage armor for 4 hours.
Green Topiary: 23. (22:60).
Brother Jaume: 22.
* Weapon of awe on quarterstaff til R42T22. If it scores crit, target is shaken for 1 rd, no save.
Vilma: 19. STR Mutagen for 39 minutes. Justice judgment (+1 attack rolls) active (incl. on sheet).
Flair: 17. Unloaded crossbow.
Jens: 16. SICKENED til R15T16 (FRA would be needed to regain composure).
Dorn: 6. Divine favor til R19T6 (+1 luck attack & damage rolls).
Daelene Spence: 5. Dagger on floor. Awkward (-2 AC) til R12T5 (DC 20 Acrobatics check removes). DYING!!!
* 1 STR damage from ray of enfeeblment til R14T31.
* SMITE vs. Brother Jaume! (+4 attack rolls [CHA], +6 damage [CL], +4 deflection bonus to AC).
* SMITE vs. Vilma for same, but she has yet to collect on the double damage effect.
* Unwilling participant in collective.

DEAD
Living Topiary (2). Asa Lalith.

[lostsole31]

R12T19: Vilma makes sure to cover the others as they move inside, looking around for another possibly still animated shrubberies.

R12T17: Flair reloads his crossbow, stepping over by the fire.

R12T16: Jens, you are feeling sickened. You could spend a FRA to overcome that condition. What do you do?
Dorn on deck, Kris in the hole ...

Spoiler: Battle Tracker

Show

HEROES: Bless til R43T22: +1 morale bonus to attack rolls & saves vs. fear.
Kris: 31. Mage armor for 4 hours.
Green Topiary: 23. (22:60).
Brother Jaume: 22.
* Weapon of awe on quarterstaff til R42T22. If it scores crit, target is shaken for 1 rd, no save.
Vilma: 19. STR Mutagen for 39 minutes. Justice judgment (+1 attack rolls) active (incl. on sheet).
Flair: 17. Unloaded crossbow.
Jens: 16. SICKENED til R15T16 (FRA would be needed to regain composure).
Dorn: 6. Divine favor til R19T6 (+1 luck attack & damage rolls).
Daelene Spence: 5. Dagger on floor. Awkward (-2 AC) til R12T5 (DC 20 Acrobatics check removes). DYING!!!
* 1 STR damage from ray of enfeeblment til R14T31.
* SMITE vs. Brother Jaume! (+4 attack rolls [CHA], +6 damage [CL], +4 deflection bonus to AC).
* SMITE vs. Vilma for same, but she has yet to collect on the double damage effect.
* Unwilling participant in collective.

DEAD
Living Topiary (2). Asa Lalith.

[lostsole31]

R12T16: Jens take a moment to catch his breath and settle down from his dizzy spell, saying, ”Just need a moment. Blood loss and exercise is a recipe for dizziness.”

R12T6: Dorn goes in and checks the nobleman's vitals to be sure. "He's dead."

End Round 12, Begin Round 13 ...

R13T31: Kris keeps guard outside with Vilma.

R13T22: Brother Jaume, what do you do?

Vilma on deck, Flair in the hole...

Spoiler: Battle Tracker

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HEROES: Bless til R43T22: +1 morale bonus to attack rolls & saves vs. fear.
Kris: 31. Mage armor for 4 hours.
Green Topiary: 23. (24:60).
Brother Jaume: 22.
* Weapon of awe on quarterstaff til R42T22. If it scores crit, target is shaken for 1 rd, no save.
Vilma: 19. STR Mutagen for 39 minutes. Justice judgment (+1 attack rolls) active (incl. on sheet).
Flair: 17. Loaded crossbow.
Jens: 16.
Dorn: 6. Divine favor til R19T6 (+1 luck attack & damage rolls).
Daelene Spence: 5. Dagger on floor. Awkward (-2 AC) til R12T5 (DC 20 Acrobatics check removes). DYING!!!
* 1 STR damage from ray of enfeeblment til R14T31.
* SMITE vs. Brother Jaume! (+4 attack rolls [CHA], +6 damage [CL], +4 deflection bonus to AC).
* SMITE vs. Vilma for same, but she has yet to collect on the double damage effect.
* Unwilling participant in collective.

DEAD
Living Topiary (2). Asa Lalith.

[lostsole31]

R13T22: BJ goes inside to check the noblewoman. "The woman is dying, very nearly at death already. It seems she was shot at point-blank range with a crossbow while unconscious."

"Huh, that's strange," remarks Flair.

To Dorn he says, “That is regrettable. The loss of a life is always a tragedy but the community must be protected. He chose the path of his destruction by following this Yellow King.”

R13T19: Vilma, what do you do?

Flair on deck, Jens in the hole ...

Spoiler: Battle Tracker

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HEROES: Bless til R43T22: +1 morale bonus to attack rolls & saves vs. fear.
Kris: 31. Mage armor for 4 hours.
Green Topiary: 23. (24:60).
Brother Jaume: 22.
* Weapon of awe on quarterstaff til R42T22. If it scores crit, target is shaken for 1 rd, no save.
Vilma: 19. STR Mutagen for 39 minutes. Justice judgment (+1 attack rolls) active (incl. on sheet).
Flair: 17. Loaded crossbow.
Jens: 16.
Dorn: 6. Divine favor til R19T6 (+1 luck attack & damage rolls).
Daelene Spence: 5. Dagger on floor. Awkward (-2 AC) til R12T5 (DC 20 Acrobatics check removes). DYING!!!
* 1 STR damage from ray of enfeeblment til R14T31.
* SMITE vs. Brother Jaume! (+4 attack rolls [CHA], +6 damage [CL], +4 deflection bonus to AC).
* SMITE vs. Vilma for same, but she has yet to collect on the double damage effect.
* Unwilling participant in collective.

DEAD
Living Topiary (2). Asa Lalith.

[lostsole31]

R13T19: Vilma goes back inside. "Should we keep her alive? I doubt she'll tell anything, and given the judiciary system around here, death might be a mercy."

R13T17: Flair nods off-handedly and shrugs. "I have to tell you, I'm surprised. I shot in her in chest for the same reason, but seems she's tougher than expected. Pfft. So, let her lie in her blood or kill her ... or healer her with mundane power. But please don't tell me you are going to use any of your holy powers - any of you - to revive what I suspect was an antipaladin, given the evidence I saw in-battle. But really, an antipaladin is completely given to their deities in a way an evil cleric can't match. Really, you should tell her she did well in battle ... proved a worthy companion, and then send her to her 'worthy' afterlife."

R13T16: Jens, you are outside, and probably haven't heard any of that discussion (at least not word for word). What do you do?

Dorn on deck, Kris in the hole ...

Spoiler: Battle Tracker

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HEROES: Bless til R43T22: +1 morale bonus to attack rolls & saves vs. fear.
Kris: 31. Mage armor for 4 hours.
Green Topiary: 23. (24:60).
Brother Jaume: 22.
* Weapon of awe on quarterstaff til R42T22. If it scores crit, target is shaken for 1 rd, no save.
Vilma: 19. STR Mutagen for 39 minutes. Justice judgment (+1 attack rolls) active (incl. on sheet).
Flair: 17. Loaded crossbow.
Jens: 16.
Dorn: 6. Divine favor til R19T6 (+1 luck attack & damage rolls).
Daelene Spence: 5. Dagger on floor. Awkward (-2 AC) til R12T5 (DC 20 Acrobatics check removes). DYING!!!
* 1 STR damage from ray of enfeeblment til R14T31.
* SMITE vs. Brother Jaume! (+4 attack rolls [CHA], +6 damage [CL], +4 deflection bonus to AC).
* SMITE vs. Vilma for same, but she has yet to collect on the double damage effect.
* Unwilling participant in collective.

DEAD
Living Topiary (2). Asa Lalith.

[lostsole31]

R13T16: Remembering how small the inside of the hut is, Jens will move to one side of the entrance and speak over the collective.

Spoiler: Jens >>> Collective

Show

”I will be out here keeping an eye out. That Noblewoman is still alive by the way, I didn’t feel her die.”

R13T6: Dorn says simply, "My mother - as pragmatic a dwarf that ever lived - always told me" ... and then he casts stabilize on the noblewoman ... "I always had a habit of doing things the hard way."

Combat Ends ...

Spoiler: Battle Tracker

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HEROES: Bless til R43T22: +1 morale bonus to attack rolls & saves vs. fear.
Kris: 31. Mage armor for 4 hours.
Green Topiary: 23. (24:60).
Brother Jaume: 22.
* Weapon of awe on quarterstaff til R42T22. If it scores crit, target is shaken for 1 rd, no save.
Vilma: 19. STR Mutagen for 39 minutes. Justice judgment (+1 attack rolls) active (incl. on sheet).
Flair: 17. Loaded crossbow.
Jens: 16.
Dorn: 6. Divine favor til R19T6 (+1 luck attack & damage rolls).
Daelene Spence: 5. Dagger on floor. Awkward (-2 AC) til R12T5 (DC 20 Acrobatics check removes). DYING!!!
* 1 STR damage from ray of enfeeblment til R14T31.
* SMITE vs. Brother Jaume! (+4 attack rolls [CHA], +6 damage [CL], +4 deflection bonus to AC).
* SMITE vs. Vilma for same, but she has yet to collect on the double damage effect.
* Unwilling participant in collective.

DEAD
Living Topiary (2). Asa Lalith.

[lostsole31]

Post-Battle Tracking

Spoiler: Battle Tracker

Show

HEROES: Bless til R43T22: +1 morale bonus to attack rolls & saves vs. fear.
Kris: 31. Mage armor for 4 hours.
Green Topiary: 23. (24:60).
Brother Jaume: 22.
* Weapon of awe on quarterstaff til R42T22. If it scores crit, target is shaken for 1 rd, no save.
Vilma: 19. STR Mutagen for 39 minutes. Justice judgment (+1 attack rolls) active (incl. on sheet).
Flair: 17. Loaded crossbow.
Jens: 16.
Dorn: 6. Divine favor til R19T6 (+1 luck attack & damage rolls).
Daelene Spence: 5. Dagger on floor. Awkward (-2 AC) til R12T5 (DC 20 Acrobatics check removes).
* 1 STR damage from ray of enfeeblment til R14T31.
* SMITE vs. Brother Jaume! (+4 attack rolls [CHA], +6 damage [CL], +4 deflection bonus to AC).
* SMITE vs. Vilma for same, but she has yet to collect on the double damage effect.
* Unwilling participant in collective.

DEAD
Living Topiary (2). Asa Lalith.

[lostsole31]

As Vilma is coming out of the gatehouse on a patrol some time later, that damned grasshopper-topiary - successfully hidden from her - bursts forth from the tree to charge her.

Surprise Round ...

S22: The topiary clangs into Vilma, but doesn't get past the armor.
Round One ...

R1T22: Green recovers from the charge and attacks Vilma twice, missing once, hitting armor on the second.

R1T12: Vilma, what do you do? Your STR mutagen (and obvi the judgment) ended some time ago.

Spoiler: Battle Tracker

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Green Topiary: 22. (60:60).
Vilma: 12.

[lostsole31]

R1T12: Taking her stance, Vilma judges the topiary, before trying to club it down, hitting it for a satisfying sound of branches cracking for 14 mod.

She calls out, hopefully only just loud enough for folk in the cottage to hear, "Topiary's back, folks!"

End Round One, Begin Round 2 ...

R2T25: Brother Jaume, you hear Vilma shouting somewhere outside. Your staff is not in hand (but adjacent) as you were working hand-to-hand techniques with your apprentice (Flair). What do you do?

Spoiler: Battle Tracker

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Brother Jaume: 25.
Green Topiary: 22. (46:60).
Kris: 19.
Jens: 14.
Vilma: 12.
Dorn: 5.
Flair: 5.

[lostsole31]

R2T25:

Spoiler: Brother Jaume >>> Collective

Show

“Vilma yelled outside. I am coming.”

BJ grabs his staff, steps over to the front door, and opens it.

R2T22: The grasshopper-bush slams Vilma right in the groin for 8.

R2T19:

Spoiler: Krisztina >>> Collective

Show

"Let me know if things get out of hand. Otherwise, I am staying up here to watch the prisoners."

R2T14: Jens, what do you do?

Vilma on deck ...

Spoiler: Battle Tracker

Show

Brother Jaume: 25.
Green Topiary: 22. (46:60).
Kris: 19.
Jens: 14.
Vilma: 12.
Dorn: 5.
Flair: 5.

[lostsole31]

R2T14: Jens moves outside to get a better look. From his vantage, he creates a kinetic cover .... behind the topiary.

R2T12: Vilma, what do you do?

Dorn on deck, Flair in the hole ...

Spoiler: Battle Tracker

Show

Brother Jaume: 25.
Green Topiary: 22. (46:60).
Kris: 19.
Jens: 14.
Vilma: 12.
Dorn: 5.
Flair: 5.

[lostsole31]

R2T12: Moving to the side to help her allies flank the bush, Vilma strikes again for another solid 11 mod.

R2T5: Dorn comees racing out ... it's easy to forget that he is quick sometimes ... and gets right up into position after having draw his dagger and grazes it for 4.

R2T4: Flair, what do you do?

Brother Jaume, Green on deck ...

Spoiler: Battle Tracker

Show

Brother Jaume: 25.
Green Topiary: 22. (31:60).
Kris: 19.
Jens: 14.
Vilma: 12.
Dorn: 5.
Flair: 4.

[lostsole31]

[QUOTE=lostsole31;25259577]R2T12: Moving to the side to help her allies flank the bush, Vilma strikes again for another solid 11 mod.

R2T5: Dorn comees racing out ... it's easy to forget that he is quick sometimes ... and gets right up into position after having draw his dagger and grazes it for 4.

R2T4: Flair grabs his crossbow and darts out outside to try and deal with this threat.

End Round 2, Begin Round 3 ...

R3T25:Brother Jaume, what do you do?

Topiary on deck, Jens in the hole ...

Spoiler: Battle Tracker

Show

Brother Jaume: 25.
Green Topiary: 22. (31:60).
Kris: 19. DELAYING!!!
Jens: 14.
Vilma: 12.
Dorn: 5.
Flair: 4.

[lostsole31]

R3T25: Brother Jaume will move quickly towards the melee swinging his staff to attack the topiary. He grows large before the attack, cracking it for a solid 12 mod.

R3T22: The topiary, sensing it is trapped (and has used a lot of plant magic), digs in for the final. It moves over a few feet to attack Vilma impotently.

R3T14: Jens, what do you do?

Vilma on deck, Dorn in the hole ...

Spoiler: Battle Tracker

Show

Brother Jaume: 25.
Green Topiary: 22. (19:60).
Kris: 19. DELAYING!!!
Jens: 14.
Vilma: 12.
Dorn: 5.
Flair: 4.

[lostsole31]

R3T14: Jens follows the stone pathway to stand beside BJ. He then prepares himself to throw up another wall if the creature attempts flight once more.

R3T12: Vilma, what do you do?

Dorn on deck, Flair in the hole ...

Spoiler: Battle Tracker

Show

Brother Jaume: 25.
Green Topiary: 22. (19:60).
Kris: 19. DELAYING!!!
Jens: 14.
Vilma: 12.
Dorn: 5.
Flair: 4.

[lostsole31]

R3T12: Vilma moves under the tree and strikes again, "grazing" the shrubbery for 7 mod.

Spoiler: Vilma >>> Collective

Show

"We have to get rid of it this time!"

R3T5: Dorn uses Jens' cover to safely approach a flanking position, but his dagger gets caught up in the branches.

R3T4: Flair, what do you do? Crossbow is loaded?

Brother Jaume on deck, Topiary in the hole ...

Spoiler: Battle Tracker

Show

Brother Jaume: 25.
Green Topiary: 22. (12:60).
Kris: 19. DELAYING!!!
Jens: 14.
Vilma: 12.
Dorn: 5.
Flair: 4.

[lostsole31]

R3T4: Flair takes a step forward before dropping to one knee, taking a steadying breath and took careful aim at the topiary. His accuracy is spot on, but sadly, a pointy stick is a bad weapon against a big stick monster and the bolt does nothing but shatter in its brambles.

End Round 3, Begin Round 4 ...

R4T25: Brother Jaume, what do you do? Do you stay big (or go home)?

Topiary on deck, Jens in the hole ...

Spoiler: Battle Tracker

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Brother Jaume: 25.
Green Topiary: 22. (12:60).
Kris: 19. DELAYING!!!
Jens: 14.
Vilma: 12.
Dorn: 5.
Flair: 4. Unloaded.

[lostsole31]

R4T25: Brother Jaume’s form flickers briefly as he remains large. He unleashes a flurry of spinning strikes and thrusts at the plant creature with his staff, but he completely misses both times.

R4T22: The topiary looks like its about to juke NE when a bunch of earth comes up out of the ground to cut that avenue off, so it instead pops down to the SE and attacks Vilma. Vilma gets slammed in the arm for 8, but on the second attack, Vilma's shield holds up the "limb" from the first attack and forces it to overstretch, making the topiary do 1 STR to itself from being pulled.

R4T12: Vilma, what do you do?

Dorn on deck, Flair in the hole ...

Spoiler: Battle Tracker

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Brother Jaume: 25. Enlarged.
Jens: 23.
Green Topiary: 22. (12:60, 16:17 STR).
Kris: 19. DELAYING!!!
Vilma: 12.
Dorn: 5.
Flair: 4. Unloaded.

[lostsole31]

R4T12: Wounded but clearly not down, Vilma strikes back with her morningstar for 11 mod. It is a terrible blow, but the thing doesn't go down yet.

R4T5: Dorn circles around to flank with Vilma and slashes. It barely strikes, but the thing was reeling from Vilma's last blow that it topples after Dorn's meager 4.

The party, at their leisure, will be able to CDG the grasshopper topiary and thus end the threat of angry shrubbery.

Combat Ends ...

Spoiler: Battle Tracker

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Brother Jaume: 25. Enlarged.
Jens: 23.
Green Topiary: 22. (-3:60, 16:17 STR).
Kris: 19. DELAYING!!!
Vilma: 12.
Dorn: 5.
Flair: 4. Unloaded.

[lostsole31]

*Communal endure elements* on the party (sans Kris) for 4 hours each.

[lostsole31]

Vilma takes her potion, and with her shield at the ready opens the northernmost of the two double doors. She knows to expect an ambush, but that's why she wears the big armor and carries the shield.

Surprise Round ...

Sure enough, no matter how "ready" and "expecting an ambush" you might be ... it just doesn't stop it from coming.

S20: A woman in yellow robes and hooded steps back from the doorway and holding a silver symbol that looks like a three-armed triskelion she lets loose with a wave of darkness that rolls past another yellow-clad figure at the door. The effect doesn't hit Flair, but everyone else in the group - as they were readied mentally - only take 3 NE.

S18: The other figure at the door, a man similarly cloaked and hooded, does a draw cut along the inside of a joint of Vilma's right hand with a soft crit that does 21 (+2 bleed).

S17: Chanting is heard somewhere well to the west.

End Surprise Round, Begin Round One ...

R1T20: The woman casts a spell at Vilma.

Vilma, roll a Will save!

Spoiler: Battle Tracker

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Communal endure elements on party for 4 hours each. BLESS on bad guys!
Red Cultist (f): 20. (44:44). Used 1 NE.
Vilma: 19. STR Mutagen imbibed (40 min.) 2 BLEED!!!
Blue Cultist: 18. (44:44).
Green Cultist: 17. (44:44).
Jens: 14.
Brother Jaume: 13.
Flair: 9. Crossbow loaded and in hand.
Dorn: 6.

[lostsole31]

R1T19: Vilma throws off what seems to be mental paralysis, as well as muscling through a potentially staggering effect from that ambush. She still takes 2 bleed, though, and in doing so she is temporarily off-kilter (penalty on attack rolls this round). Vilma, what do you do?

Spoiler: Battle Tracker

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Communal endure elements on party for 4 hours each. BLESS on bad guys!
Red Cultist (f): 20. (44:44). Used 1 NE.
Vilma: 19. STR Mutagen imbibed (40 min.) 2 BLEED!!!
Blue Cultist: 18. (44:44).
Green Cultist: 17. (44:44).
Jens: 14.
Brother Jaume: 13.
Flair: 9. Crossbow loaded and in hand.
Dorn: 6.

[lostsole31]

R1T19: Vilma focuses her will to survive before attempting to hammer her way through the first man, blasting him with her shield for 13.

Spoiler: Vilma

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She has her shield readied, and just shield bashed him. Her other hand was used to open the door.

R1T18-17: The man still has strength to hold his unholy symbol of Hastur up in front of the heroes, waves of darkness emanating over the party: Brother Jaume & Vila (4 NE), Flair & Jens (3 NE), Dorn (2 NE). It should be noted that with this and the previous nega-blast, neither of these cultists hurt each other. Blue then steps to the south. Red then steps up, and repeats the whole affair: Vilma (failed, 7 NE), Brother Jaume, Dorn & Flair (3 NE), & Jens (2 NE).

R1T14: Jens, what do you do?

Spoiler: Battle Tracker

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Communal endure elements on party for 4 hours each. BLESS on bad guys!
Red Cultist (f): 20. (44:44). Used 1 NE.
Vilma: 19. STR Mutagen imbibed (40 min.) Healing Judgment (FH2). BLEED 2!!!
Blue Cultist (m): 18. (31:44).
Green Cultist: 17. (44:44).
Jens: 14.
Brother Jaume: 13.
Flair: 9. Crossbow loaded and in hand.
Dorn: 6.

[lostsole31]

R1T14: It is only the start of battle that brings Jens out of his silent melancholy this morning. The threat of death breaks through his apathy and he begins to work on self preservation. Finally setting up the collective, Jens also stretches his focus to force the visible enemy into it as well.

Spoiler: Jens

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Corrected. So, you don't get to load up max powers level of powers known ... so you need (1) 1st and (1) 2nd level power prepared for today, not counting your method bonus. Are you keeping sustenance or resist toxin, and what will your 1st-level power be?

Be he strong of mind, or whether Jens' own mind protects him from danger by not letting in insanity, the Red Cultist is not brought into the collective.

R1T13: Brother Jaume, what do you do?

Spoiler: Battle Tracker

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Communal endure elements on party for 4 hours each. BLESS on bad guys!
Red Cultist (f): 20. (44:44). Used 1 NE.
Vilma: 19. STR Mutagen imbibed (40 min.) Healing Judgment (FH2). BLEED 2!!!
Blue Cultist (m): 18. (31:44).
Green Cultist: 17. (44:44).
Jens: 14.
Brother Jaume: 13.
Flair: 9. Crossbow loaded and in hand.
Dorn: 6.

[lostsole31]

R1T13:

Spoiler: Brother Jaume >>> Collective (Vilma)

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“Vilma, step away from the door or push in!”

The clonk grasps his holy symbol and channels a burst of healing, giving everyone in the party 9 healing (and stopping Vilma's bleeding), but also healing Blue of the same.

R1T9: Flair, your crossbow is in hand, loaded and ready to go. What do you do?

Dorn on deck, Red in the hole ...

Spoiler: Battle Tracker

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Communal endure elements on party for 4 hours each. BLESS on bad guys!
Red Cultist (f): 20. (44:44). Used 1 NE.
Vilma: 19. STR Mutagen imbibed (40 min.) Healing Judgment (FH2).
Blue Cultist (m): 18. (40:44). Used 1 NE.
Green Cultist: 17. (44:44).
Jens: 14.
Brother Jaume: 13.
Flair: 9. Crossbow loaded and in hand.
Dorn: 6.

[lostsole31]

R1T9: Rather than try and and make a difficult shot with the crossbow, he instead pressed his hand forward, two bolts of energy darting out to hit the cultist he could see before moving forward, hitting for a total of 7 force.

R1T6: Dorn opens the other door. He then steps back and casts a spell on himself.

End Round One, Begin Round 2 ...

R2T20: Red Cultist steps out right in the midst of the heroes, foolishly. She then lets loose with another burst of negative energy, which the heroes resist again easily: Vilma (3 NE), Flair, Dorn, & Jens (2 NE), Brother Jaume (1 NE).

R2T19: Vilma, you get FH2. What do you do?

Cultists on deck and in the hole ...

Spoiler: Battle Tracker

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Communal endure elements on party for 4 hours each. BLESS on bad guys!
Red Cultist (f): 20. (37:44). Used 2 NE.
Vilma: 19. STR Mutagen imbibed (40 min.) Healing Judgment (FH2).
Blue Cultist (m): 18. (40:44). Used 1 NE.
Green Cultist: 17. (44:44).
Jens: 14.
Brother Jaume: 13.
Flair: 9. Crossbow loaded and in hand.
Dorn: 6. Expeditious retreat for 4 min.