Council of Thieves [Bastards of Erebus] (IC)

[meemaas]

Tia will hide behind the boulder directly to the west (based on orientation of the map) from Aldo's position. While she keeps her Essence invested in her Scythe, she conceals a dagger up her sleeve in preparation. She will trust Gabriella's judgement in regards to the horses.

[Blackhawk101]

Gabby will collect the horses in the copse of trees to the south of the road near Tia’s position. She will try her best to calm and quiet the animals and hide herself.

Spoiler

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Use stealth

[ClockworkCorvid]

Folco is going to hide behind the boulder on the north side of the road, to the right of Aldo's position. He'll down his Heightened Awareness extract as soon as the carriage comes into view.

[lostsole31]

Erasmus will also be on the north side, but some distance from Folco (vaguely opposite of Tia). Meijen, preferring the cover of trees to squatting on the ground by rocks, is backed up in a copse of trees a little west and south of Aldo's position.

The prison wagon comes into view. Four of the Hellknights are mounted. Another six are on the wagon: one atop manning the crossbow; two on each side clinging to the running boards; and one in front with the man who is obviously the leader (who is driving the wagon). If your PCs are at all prone to any level of fear, perhaps you feel it now. There were four of you fighting three weaponless skeletons in the sewers. Though they wore ancient armor, they were still the remnants of chain shirts, and they didn't have a sense of how to really fight - just the ferocity of mindless undead. Now, however, there are 11 Hellknights (one of them rumored to be a signifier - a caster) .... they have superior armor and weaponry, a mini-cavalry, what amounts to a siege engine, and a focus that only misguided righteousness can provide.

Each of the heroes make what adjustments they need to make to sidestep rocks, and everyone (except Aldo) are hunkered down to remain hidden. As the carriage approaches the largest boulder closest to the road (the preplanned point at which Janiven will given a signal on a hunting horn, and incidentally, the boulder behind which Aldo is hidden), Janiven gives the first signal that the diversion has begun, a long blast on a hunting horn. "Bah-ruuuuumh!" That is followed in quick succession by the sound of a score of voices giving a loud cheer.

At the wagon, a voice is heard shouting, "Cavalry, ride forward and mow through them. Cover our return to Westcrown, and break off once you can no longer see us. For the Rack!!"

"FOR THE RACK!!!" comes a hearty reply from nearly a dozen voices.

The rumbling sound of horses is heard as the cavalry splits off from the main force. Still, the heroes wait a minutes for the second signal. And then it is heard ... heard amidst the panic screaming of distant horses. Three shorter, lifting notes on the horn. "BARUMH! BARUMH! BARUMH!"

It is time to reveal yourselves and begin the attack while the wagon is most vulnerable - while the leader tries to turn the wagon around just before heading to Westcrown.

Begin Round One ...

R1T25: Erasmus comes tearing out from his far hiding to the place. He is swinging a weird set of balls connected by string and once 40' from his target he lets loose with what is effectively a "Hail, Milani!"* pass. It is a terrible throw, a ridiculous distance for an awkward-looking weapon, and more done out of bluster and threatening than hoping to have actually struck.

R1T20: Hellknight Armiger #3 (A3) jumps off the side of the running board where he was stationed and shoots his light crossbow at the crazed man, the bolt skipping off the studs on Erasmus' studded leather.

R1T18: Meijen pushes out of the light trees he was in and covers the ground fully to the SE corner of the wagon, his great curved sword at the ready.

R1T17: A1 (on the ballista) can't target the closest (Meijen), so targets Erasmus instead, but it is a poor shot. He then takes a bolt that is fixed to the side of the wagon, with the obvious intention of reloading next round.

R1T14: Tia, what do you do?

[meemaas]

Tia will charge from her hiding place, letting her dagger slide out of her sleeve into her grip as she approaches the closest Hellknight, letting out a quick stab at it.

Spoiler

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Move action: Move up to diagonally southwest of A4
Standard action: Attack action with dagger, taking the penalty for nonlethal damage, and activating my Chilling Blow Enigma if possible

Attack (1d20+2)[15] (-4 penalty for dealing nonlethal damage already applied)
Damage (1d4+3)[6] + 4 Cold damage if the target is Flat-Footed

[lostsole31]

R1T14: Tia will charge from her hiding place, letting her dagger slide out of her sleeve into her grip as she approaches the closest Hellknight, letting out a quick stab at it. Though A4 was not quite prepared for Tia, she learned a valuable lesson ... armor works. Her thrust is stopped cold by the woman's armor. However, she does realize that the armiger armor is not as good as what it looks. The "plates" are merely hardened leather placed over a backing placed over chainmail, and it is the heavy metal links that paused her attack. The look of the Order of the Rack recruits is pretty good, but only gussied up chainmail ... not plate.

R1T13: A6, sitting on the bench, shoots at Erasmus. The bolt just barely grazes the medium's belly for 1. A6 reloads.

R1T12: Folco, your group's battle is fully underway. Luckily, nobody noticed you, and you even got to see the battle's progress rather than be in hiding. What do you do?

Aldo on deck ...

[ClockworkCorvid]

Folco knocks back another extract before twirling out from behind his rock. He advances on the closest hellknight, drawing his sword with a flourish.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Drink Shield extract, then move towards A3, going around the left side of the rock, drawing rapier. Place me so that I'm 4 south of the bottom left corner of the rock.

[digiman619]

Aldo moved up, his mind blade ready. He rushes towards the closes of the armigers and attacks, hoping to catch them off guard and disable him before he could strike back.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

MA:Move NE 1 square and then 2 north so I'm south of A5.
SA: Attack A5, unless A5 has went already and A4 didn't. (1d20+8)[13] Not including the -4 NL penalty. (1d4+4)[8] +(1d6)[1] sneak attack

[lostsole31]

R1T12: Folco knocks back another extract before twirling out from behind his rock. He advances on the closest hellknight, drawing his sword with a flourish.

R1T11: Aldo moved up, his mind blade ready. He rushes towards the closes of the armigers and attacks, hoping to catch them off guard and disable him before he could strike back, but his blade barely clips the armor of the surprised man.

R1T10: A2 hops off the rig and points out at Folco, giving a warning to his brothers, but still has a clearer shot to Erasmus. He does much better as Erasmus' left upper arm gets hit by the bolt for 5. A2 reloads.

R1T9: A4 hops down off the running board, dropping his crossbow. He takes out his longsword and attacks Tia. He crits her left lower leg for 9. Tia gives out a wailing cry of pain.

R1T6: The man who is obviously the leader hops off the bench of the wagon. He takes out a heavy mace and glares at Tia.

R1T5: Gabriella, what do you do?

A5 on deck, Erasmus in the hole ...

[lostsole31]

R1T5: Gabriella delays ...

R1T1: A5 hops down off the running board, dropping his crossbow and drawing his longsword. With two hands on the hilt (like the other one that hit Tia) he attacks Aldo. The halfling just barely deflects the larger blade while ducking out of the way.

End Round One, Begin Round 2 ...

R2T25: Erasmus charges A2 while drawing his starknife, and stabs the Hellknight in the chest for 9, and the man lets out a coughing grunt of pain. (Folco sees this, but not the other PCs.)

R2T20: A3 shoots at Folco, just missing him. He drops his crossbow and draws his longbow.

R2T19: From within the prison wagon, a male voice calls out, "What's happening? What's going on?"

R2T18: Meijen answers the voice in the wagon. "We are the ... Children of Westcrown, maybe? Remains to be seen. Your second sent us to rescue you."

Meijen makes a gamble, bring his sword back for some type of power strike, but his opens him up to attack from A5, who in turns crits the elf in the left upper arm for 9. Meijen takes it with long groan through gritted teeth, and then completes his maneuver. His curved sword slams against the armiger's longsword, taking a chip of metal out of the blade (3 mod), breaking (not destroying) it. He puts his hand to his arm and prays, "Shelyn, I beseech your aid." Positive energy infuses arm for 3 healing.

R2T17: A1 on top of the wagon spends his entire round reloading the ballista.

R2T14: Tia, what do you do?

A6 on deck, Folco in the hole ...

[meemaas]

Tia looks at the fight in question, and then backs up carefully, moving back behind one of the boulders for cover. She kneels behind it, hoping to either draw some into pursuit, or else get a moment to come in with a new tactic.

Spoiler

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Full Round action: Withdraw action, moving directly south for the free square of non-provoking movement to get behind the boulder directly to the south of Tia.

[lostsole31]

R2T14: Tia looks at the fight in question, and then backs up carefully, moving back behind one of the boulders for cover. She kneels behind it, hoping to either draw some into pursuit, or else get a moment to come up with a new tactic.

R2T13: A6 shoots at Erasmus, but the melee throws his aim off. He reloads.

R2T12: Folco, what do you do?

Aldo on deck, A2 in the hole ...

[ClockworkCorvid]

Folco rushes forward and engages with the closest guard, sword flashing.

Spoiler

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"Lay down your weapons and walk away!"

Hey, it's worth a shot.

Spoiler: OO

Show

Move 4 spaces to the left into threat with A3, swing at A3 with rapier.
Rapier: (1d20+8)[12] Damage: (1d6+5)[11]

Will Parry and Riposte first attack, when possible.
Parry Attempt: (1d20+8)[11]
Riposte: (1d20+8)[23] Damage: (1d6+5)[11]

[lostsole31]

R2T12: Folco rushes forward and engages with the closest guard, sword flashing. "Lay down your weapons and walk away!" It is a sloppy attack that is easily stopped by the chainmail. Hey, he consoles himself, it was worth a shot.

R2T11: Aldo, it turns out that Meijen has some weak healing of some sort. He didn't even cast a spell (though he did call to his deity)! You don't know about elves having any innate healing powers, so this is something you weren't aware of. Meanwhile, Tia quitting the field of battle means that you and Meijen are now outnumbered on this side of the wagon. What do you do?

A2 on deck, A4 in the hole ...

[digiman619]

Aldo continued to harry the armiger, hoping to drop this one fast to help even up the odds on this side.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Feint A5 (1d20+13)[21] feint
(1d20+8)[23] Not including -4 for NL. (1d4+4)[6] (1d6)[3] sneak attack

[lostsole31]

R2T11: Aldo continued to harry the armiger, hoping to drop this one fast to help even up the odds on this side. He brilliantly feints the man, and stabs through the fake leather plate, into the chainmail, and deliberately along the ribline and to the intercostals to do 6 NL. No real injury, but a little bit of bloodletting, bone bruising, and the beginnings of exhausting the man.

Spoiler: Aldo

Show

From "Sneak Attack" (emphasis mine)...

"With a weapon that deals nonlethal damage (such as a sap, unarmed strike, or whip), a rogue can make a sneak attack that deals nonlethal damage instead of lethal damage. She cannot use a weapon that deals lethal damage to deal nonlethal damage in a sneak attack—not even with the usual –4 penalty."

Don't view this as a player-GM peepee slap. It makes absolutely perfect sense for your PC, who is having to move quickly from the theoretical to the real regarding actual combat. In that regard, the attempt didn't "not occur," but roll with it mentally as if it had.

R2T10-9: A2 drops his crossbow, draws his longsword, and then puts power behind a swing against Erasmus, hitting hard against his studded leather. Erasmus, coming out of a charge, stops awkwardly, and the sword presses in to cut him for 8. Erasmus is sporting some terrible wounds. A4 adjusts a little south when attacking with power ... missing the deft halfling.

R2T6: Signifier Shanwen comes around A4 and calls on Asmodeus to defensively cast a spell, but fails.

R2T5: Gabriella, what do you do? It seems your friends are giving as good as they get, but they are outnumbered, which means they might lose without some help of some kind.

A5 on deck, Erasmus in the hole ...

[Blackhawk101]

Worried about the others, Gabriella will begin tying the horses to the copse of trees to her left, taking as long as it takes to make them secure but as quickly as possible.

[lostsole31]

R2T5: Worried about the others, Gabriella will begin tying the horses to the copse of trees to her left, taking as long as it takes to make them secure but as quickly as possible As a full-round action, she ties off her own horse. There are four other horses and one pony remaining.

R2T1: A5 steps past Meijen and Aldo to now flank Aldo, and he hacks at the halfling with his broken sword into Aldo's left shoulder for 7.

End Round 2, Begin Round 3 ...

R3T25: Erasmus recovers from his charge. He steps back and calls on "Veldira" to heal him as he casts a spell, touches himself, and receives 10 healing.

R3T20: A3 attacks Folco with his sword. Folco tries to parry, but the sword moves in faster, and yet Folco's body is even faster than that. Folco is able to duck the attack, but it was tiring enough that he didn't get to riposte.

Spoiler: Folco

Show

I had to look at the writing a little closer (after assuming a riposte that struck). Actually, even though the attack itself failed, so did the parry, because the parry roll was lower than the attacker's roll. A riposte is only scored if the parry is successful, not if the attack is unsuccessful.

R3T19: There is a bright burst of light from within the carriage. Because the severely limited windows are small, the light doesn't reach or affect any of the combatants. A weak voice calls out, "If someone can hear me? Go around to the back of the wagon and break the lock if you can!"

R3T18: Meijen answers the voice. "Arael, if he you be! It will take to long. I will break down the leader instead." He looks to Aldo. "Aldo, it will take too long and it is too dangerous to foolishly think we are better than them. Attack with your full fury, and we shall heal the fallen, or ask for penance if they are beyond us."

He then flanks A5 with Aldo, slashing at the man's back with his large sword for 5. That man now has a look of fear mixed with his pain. Meanwhile, Meijen against put a hand on his chest to give himself for a meager 1.

R3T17: A1 on the ballista targets Erasmus, as he makes the easiest target. He shoots, and the massive bolt thuds into the ground, having torn through Erasmus' left foot for 10 in the process, removing all of the healing Erasmus had just put on himself!

R3T14: Tia, what do you do?

A6 on deck, Folco in the hole ...

[meemaas]

Tia will toss her dagger at the ground such that it stabs directly into the dirt, and then dashes out from behind her cover, having gotten her breath. "This is on your head if it goes wrong!!!" She shouts at Meijin, her hand trailing behind her to allow her Scythe to form, as she circles around into a flanking position with a dramatic swing of her Scythe.

Spoiler

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Free action: Drop Dagger (I will reclaim this.)
Move action: Move basically my full movement to circle around the fight, ending in the space opposite Aldo next to A4
Free action: Reform Scythe
Standard action: Attack A4!!! Using my Chilling Blow enigma since I am flanking this one.

Attack roll (1d20+7)[22] (+2 from flanking NOT added in)
Damage (2d4+4)[8] + (1d8)[5] + 4 Cold damage from Chilling Blow

Will use Spilled Salt, if needed, against an attack on me.

[lostsole31]

R3T14: Tia drops her dagger, and then dashes out from behind her cover, having gotten her breath. "This is on your head if it goes wrong!!!" She shouts at Meijin, her hand trailing behind her to allow her Scythe to form, as she circles around into a flanking position with a dramatic swing of her scythe, cutting through the man's chest for 13 NE + 4 cold. This is enough to disable the man.

R3T13: A6 shoots at Erasmus, but his aim is really bad. Clearly, the sight of all this blood is something he is not used to, and and A6 is sickened. He does reload, though.

R3T12: Folco, what do you do?

Aldo on deck, A2 and A4 in the hole ...

[ClockworkCorvid]

Folco pushes the attack, determined to make a better showing than his embarrassing entrance!

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Attack A3 with rapier. Parry and riposte as normal.
Rapier: (1d20+8)[23] Damage: (1d6+5)[7]
Parry Attempt: (1d20+8)[21] Riposte: (1d20+8)[26] Riposte Damage: (1d6+5)[7][/B]

[lostsole31]

R3T12: Folco pushes the attack, determined to make a better showing than his embarrassing entrance! He stabs his rapier into the armiger's vulnerable left foot for 7. The armiger gives a long, high-pitched, wheezing groan through clenched teeth.

R3T11: Aldo, what do you do?

A2 & A4 on deck, Signifier Shanwen in the hole ...

[digiman619]

Aldo did his best not to screech in pain. Fine. He didn't want to hurt anyone, but the time had come. He lashed out at the one who hit him, ready to take anyone who came near.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Two weapon fighting; Attack 1 goes to A5. If that drops him, second attack goes to A4. I flank either way, so both get steak attack.
Attack 1 (1d20+6)[11] (1d4+4)[8] + (1d6)[4]
Attack 2 (1d20+6)[21] (1d4+4)[5] + (1d6)[6]

[lostsole31]

R3T11: Aldo did his best not to screech in pain. Fine. He didn't want to hurt anyone, but the time had come. He lashed out at the one who hit him, ready to take anyone who came near. His first attack was a sacrifice to force A5 to deflect it. Aldo couldn't lunge to the larger man's meaty bits, but his deflecting sword was right there ... including the hand holding it. Aldo stabs right into the palm, the meaty, almost steak-like muscle mass, pushing through so as to break several of the metacarpals and coming out the back of his hand for 11. The armiger drops his broken sword and holds his hand, before falling unconscious from shock.

R3T10-9: A2 drops his crossbow, and A4 drops her sword, both in panic. A2 runs west. A4 withdraws away from an enraged Shanwen, is not cut down by Tia or Aldo, and hustles westwards.

R3T6: Signifier Shanwen sees two of his recruits running away. He sidesteps away from Aldo to face Tia and swings at her with his heavy mace with two hands, but Tia easily deflects it.

R3T5: Gabriella, it takes a full-round action to secure one horse to a tree. What do you do?

A5 on deck, Erasmus in the hole ...

[Blackhawk101]

With the tide changing rapidly back and forth, Gabriella is unsure what to do. She hesitates to see how the fight will turn out.

Spoiler

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Gabby delays.

[lostsole31]

R3T5: With the tide changing rapidly back and forth, Gabriella is unsure what to do. She hesitates to see how the fight will turn out.

End Round 3, Begin Round 4 ...

R4T25: Erasmus steps over to pick up his bolas, spins them, and hurls them at A6. They slap against the man's chainmail, but otherwise fall to the ground.

R4T20: A3 attacks Folco with power behind his swing. Folco easily deflects the overcommitted blade and ripostes into the man's left elbow for 7. The man drops his longsword and takes off to the west, Folco (and Erasmus) letting him go.

R4T19: Another burst of light within the wagon. "How goes it? Report!" comes a shout from within.

R4T18: Meijen calls an answer, "Only a few recruits still stand, and I am on the leader now!" He rushes around Aldo to cut Shanwen in the right lower leg for 12. Shanwen doesn't scream so much as have the air knocked out of him in pain before biting his lip.

R4T17: A1 reloads the ballista.

R4T14: Tia, what do you do?

A6 on deck, Folco in the hole, Gabby delaying (and may go at any time) ...

[Blackhawk101]

Gabby will untie the secured mount and make ready to leave should Arael be freed.

[lostsole31]

R4T16: Gabby unties the secured mount and makes ready to leave should Arael be freed.

R4T14: Tia steps to flank the leader with Aldo. She strikes Shanwen in the neck with her scythe for 13 NE + 4 cold, and drops.

R4T13: A6 shoots Erasmus in the upper arm, nailing him with a crit in the upper left brachial artery in his arm for 8. He then reloads his crossbow.

R4T12: Folco, what do you do?

Aldo on deck, A2 & A4 in the hole ...

[ClockworkCorvid]

Folco snorts at the man's well advised cowardice, and lunges towards the Armiger riding shotgun! His eyes blaze unnaturally, and it's clear he's starting to lose his composure a bit."Hey, same offer! Limited Time only!"

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Move into top right square adjacent to A6, attack with rapier.
Rapier: (1d20+8)[15] Damage: (1d6+5)[10]
Parry: (1d20+8)[11] Riposte: (1d20+8)[13] Damage: (1d6+5)[6]

[lostsole31]

R4T12: Folco snorts at the man's well advised cowardice, and lunges towards the Armiger riding shotgun! His sword glances off the man's chainmail. Folco's eyes blaze unnaturally, and it's clear he's starting to lose his composure a bit."Hey, same offer! Limited Time only!"

R4T11: Aldo, what do you do?

A2/A4 on deck, Erasmus in the hole ...