The Seekers vs the Others, Round 2: The Others version

The Other’s Intentions:

Thump: take out Matar (hasted, 10 attacks)

Prentyss: cut K’s bowstring

Dac: cast Charm Person on R

Farayenel: keep S illuminated, return to perch, dig out scroll

Groznyj: attack Diana (hasted, 6 attacks)

Crystenna: lightning bolt on S, back from melee

Quad: dispel magic on Diana

Harag: animate dead on bones

Golem: attack Castinar (hasted, 4 attacks)

Umlith: defend Venom

Venom: find Ariessus

Notes: in researching something for one of the players I noticed a rule I hadn’t caught before. If a spellcaster has time to move after a spell has been cast (which he/she will unless it is a full round casting time) they can take a half-move action. Just something to keep in mind.

Initiative: Others win, 4:5

Very Fast:

Those among the Others either naturally or magical fast attack. Matar is an easy target for Thump and the trollkin slashes twice at the warrior. Both blows find flesh. The second knocks Matar to the ground, something which catches Thump by surprise.

While Diana has high hopes to get a defensive spell off before Groznyj attacks, such is not her luck. Even as she raises her hands to begin casting the fighter strikes her with his long sword, bringing her dangerously low on hit points.

Sane is just beginning to descend, planning on landing and casting his spell when a bolt of electricity arcs out from Crystenna and hits the kenku. From the viewpoint of most of those in the tunnel a trail of smoke descends from about 20’ off the ground to land near K5.

Dac spins his weapons around his finger and thrusts them into their holsters. He then begins to beckon seductively towards Amber. “"Dahlin, dahlin," he calls out to her in a strange but charming accent, "no need to use that walkin stick on de big ugly. Come right over here and talk to dis here charming devil. I got your huckleberry."

Towards the back of the group Quad begins casting a spell of his own, his eyes on Diana. Harag begins casting a spell of his own.

Diana has to reconsider her options. She realizes it is going to take a few moments before she can concentrate enough to try a spell. At least her spell wasn’t ruined. Her mind whirls through options. She is painfully aware that if she chooses wrong this may be the last decision she ever makes. Reaching down deep within herself she touches that center of power she has been taught to use by the Priestesses of Isis. Opening her eyes she sees the weaves of magic around her as solid as the people and weapons

Tearing her eyes off of the strange half-elf, Amber begins to cast a spell that she hopes to use on the trollkin. Unseen by the others K’harn begins to concentrate on the ground at the trollkin’s feet.

Fast:

Thump considers Matar lying at his feet for a few moments, then decides that this one won’t be fun to play with any more. Stupid spell casters, ruining a good fight! “Faya! Where me go now!” he shouts.

Finally into position Prentyss sets up and waits.

Amber feels her eyes drawn towards the strange half-elf once again. She wants to go over to him. That soft voice is so… attractive. No, wait… how can she think that? He’s… kind of cute. Maybe she should go over to him and see what a huckleberry is. Forgetting about her own spell Amber walks over to the half-elf.

Her spotting complete, Faranayel turns around and heads back to her ledge. Below her Crystenna moves to the side, distancing herself from the others. No need to group together and make it easy for the other party.

Sensing victory, Groznyj swings once more at the elf before him and then bashes at her with his shield. This time Diana somehow manages to dodge not one, but both blows.

At the rear of the Other group Umlith moves over to protect his mistress, who continues to scan the area behind the general melee.

The Truth Seekers finally get a chance to draw their own blood. Katrina takes careful aim at the drow priestess, although she realizes this is going to be a very difficult shot (OOC: line of fire is right through the furball, so she gets 50% cover in addition to this being a called shot.) Just as she is about to release the arrow her bowstring breaks. Katrina just about falls over backwards from the sudden imbalance. She lets out a colorful curse in Turmish she learned from her friends at the Kiss and pulls out another bowstring.

Watching the flow of magic in the area, Diana sets up a resonance within herself and then casts that disharmony out in front of her, hoping to disrupt the local weave, perhaps slowing this fighter down, perhaps freeing Matar from the spell affecting him.

[OOC: Diana used an innate ability to dispel magic. The dispel magic went up against Fara’s haste on Thump and Groznyj, Harag’s Hold Person, K’harn’s Stony Grip, and three potions that Matar was carrying. It was only successful in dispelling the haste on Groznyj and perhaps some of the potions.]

Castinar and Thengal attack their opponents - Castinar swinging at the cloaked figure while Thengal attacks the heavily armored human. Castinar slices through once again, noticing for the first time that the figure is wearing chain mail under its cloak. Thengal has a more difficult time. Although he strikes a good blow, it doesn’t get through the human’s armor.

Further back in the tunnel Ariessus and Shadow both get to their feet, dust themselves off, and head back towards the fight. (OOC: since they had to rise they only get a 1/2 move this round, no running)

Directly under Thump there is a strange grating sound. The trollkin looks down in amazement as a hand reaches up out of the ground and grabs a hold of his leg.

Average:

Thump isn’t sure what to make of this hand. He pulls away from it, but it holds him tight. He pulls harder, but it doesn’t budge. He then jerks so hard he breaks the skin around his ankle, but the hand holds firm.

In the back of the party Quad finally gets his spell off. Diana sees magic gathering around her - and then attacking the spellshield she has up. A detached portion of her mind studies the attacking magic and realizes this is clerical magic, slightly stronger than what she could cast. The Priestess groans as she feels her spellshield fail under the assault.

Groznyj is unbalanced when he suddenly finds himself moving at normal speed again. The experienced warrior quickly recovers and strikes out with his blade one last time, wanting to put this witch down. The blade opens a deep furrow down her shoulder and across her chest. Diana staggers back as the pain washes over her. By simple force of will she remains conscious.

The Golem finally gets around to trying to return the favor to Castinar. It swings twice once again with its huge fists, this time connecting only once. Still, it is an extremely solid blow, rocking Castinar back onto his heels.

Castinar and Thengal now both swing once more. Castinar makes it three for three, with a blow powerful enough to knock his opponent to the ground. Strange. No blood. Thengal’s second blow goes wide, not even connecting with the armor.

Slow:

Thump screams at the hand holding him tight and begins to rake at it with his claws. To his satisfaction chunks of stone start flying off.

Farayenel lands back on her perch. She digs around in her satchel and pulls out a scroll case. As she undoes the buckle around it her eyes wander over the battlefield, checking on the others.

Further back in the tunnel a small halfling emerges from the shadow. From under a grimy green hat he eyes the combat, licking his lips nervously (N on the map)

Umlith eyes Castinar hungrily, but he doesn’t dare leave the side of his mistress. Venom is watching two female elven figures approaching the combat from the rear, and expectant look on her face.

Very Slow:

Before Castinar can celebrate his victory over the strange figure or move to engage the drow the pile of white sticks a few feet away starts stirring. The ranger freezes as he realizes that they are not sticks - they are bones. All kinds of different bones. In one of the most eerie and frightening things Castinar has ever seen the bones begin to assemble themselves - skulls rolling over to sit on top of spinal cords, hands crawling to connect with arms. Within a few moments there is no longer a pile of bones, but seven skeletons. Partial skeletons, to be sure, but skeletons none the less.

End of Round

Situations:

Thump: held by a stony hand, but ripping the hand apart

Prentyss: still behind the archer K

Dac: apparently has the halfling charmed

Farayenel: can read scroll next round and then get bow ready for following

Groznyj: no longer hasted, will have to present flank to T if wants to keep attacking D

Crystenna: ready to blast something else

Quad: ready to cast another spell

Harag: golem is down, Harag on its head in beetle form, can still cast Sticks to Snakes next round

Umlith: guarding Venom

Venom: looking down tunnel, fingering spider amulet

M: held and prone

K: restringing bow, will be able to fire again next round

H: moving towards fight

A: moving towards fight

D: badly injured, reeling (negative)

C: very concerned about both the skeletons and Umlith

A: charmed by Dac

N: halfling near battle

T: still can’t hit Groznyj

Questions?

Just as a reminder your battle grid is up at http://www.xmission.com/~saif/night/nbsgrid.htm and your maps is http://www.xmission.com/~saif/night/combat2.gif On the map the large S is the skeletons. The blue square is Diana’s dispel magic.

We’ll start here on Friday for the chat session. I hope some of you can make it.

Saif