Through the Veil of Madness: Dungeons and Dragons Game

[PrincessToyTime]

Altanis is startled slightly by the creatures he sees before him, but he realizes that any good soldier must act with swift and clever tactics. He orders his comrade Dexter with Commander's Strike to strike at the NE minion.

[Jonas]

The middle darter contorts and seems to ‘tighten’ itself before rushing at Altanis. It strikes dead-on, leaving no physical signs but sending the fox reeling in psychic pain. As Altanis falls down, the whirling tendrils silently move on, but not before Alexander’s spirit wolf is able to take advantage of the opening and strike. The Fel Taint swirls in the air as part of its mass is broken off and vanishes, though not nearly as much as you would like. There is some degree of compensation in Altanis being able to mend some of his wounds.

The smaller drones swirl around the closest targets, lashing out with their tentacles. Aroth lets out a cry of pain as he is struck three times by the silent assailants, with the drones silent even as blood begins to stain Aroth’s fur from the psychic barrage. The remaining two line up with the darters to flank Dexter and Altanis. The shaman ducks from a swinging tentacle, but the prone warlord is less fortunate.

Zen’Ral’s spirit emerges in a burst of energy that detonates the nearest drone; a silent explosion as it is expulsed from reality.

The spectral wolf lunges through the air and expels another blight on reality. The victory forms a spiritual shield around Aroth, giving the wounded monk a much-needed boon.

Rynvoor’s attack banishes another drone, and strikes the centre of the darting mass flanking Dexter. It mutely writhes as a pale, clear ichor begins to coat its tendrils. You sincerely hope this is a good sign.

Dexter is unable to react in time as the darter to his north whirls and lashes. While the spiritual shield absorbs some of the hit, he still takes a psychic blow.

((btw, I perform monster knowledge checks when I roll initiative. Also, if anyone has suggestions for their own miniature images, please post them on the signup thread))

Initiative

Altanis (17/26, prone)

Darter 3 (taken 4 damage)

Minions

Zen’Ral

Alexander

Rynvoor

Darter 1 (taken 11 damage, bloodied)

Dexter (19/24)

Aroth (9/24, bloodied, 5 THP)

Darter 2

[Digital Vulpine]

Dexter shakes the hit off and looks at his situation.  The abomination between him and Ryn seems to be in bad shape, he may have the opportunity to take it out, but if Ryn can handle it himself he might want to be more concerned with the one that moved behind him to replace the one he had banished just moments before. Either way though, he certainly does not want to remain between two masses of tentacles. 

Dexter picks his target carefully, sets up his attack, and strikes as best he can, balancing the need to end this quickly with his desire to be in a safer position.

(If Rynvoor does more than 6 damage on his next turn but does not finish the darter off, mark Darter 1 as my quarry if it isn't already, use Fading Strike on it, and shift NW, W.

If Rynvoor does less than 6 damage or misses, use Evasive Strike instead of Fading Strike and shift W, SW, SW.

If Darter 1 is already dead, shift NW, mark the darter currently NE of me (due E after the shift if it doesn't move) as my quarry, and use Twin Strike with the Longbow, both shots targeting that Darter.  If I am not the closest player to it, though I should be with only 1 empty space between us, remove Prime Shot's +1 bonus from the to-hit roll.

In general, if you're not sure that what I'm attacking is my quarry, use a minor action to mark it as such before the attack.

Also, heh, exactly 10 rolls. )

[Tvorsk]

((To make it clear, you went with the Passing Strike for me? It seems so, but I'm only, like, 90% sure. Would be nice if you'd say a bit clearer what scenario did you choose for every player. ))

Ryn yips seeing his friends hurt, and attempts another strike at the seemingly wounded darter.

((or the other one, if this one's gone. Or whatever else's in range. I deal 3hp damage even if I missed.))

[William Swiftfoot]

Seeing Aroth in trouble, Alexander begins to chant in a soothing voice. The months wounds heal as healing energies flow through Alex's Spirit. The excess energies from it also begin healing Altanis's wounds. Completing the chant, he points his rod at the darter behind Dexter, and with words of wrath, casts a cloud of ice and snow at the beast.

(Healing Spirit for Surge+3, and Altanis for 1d6+3, then Wrath of Winter on the Darter NW of Dexter. If successful, teleport N of Dexter to give him the adjacent defence bonus. If unsuccessful, move E-E-E-E-E. Alexander will shift W in either case to keep out of the Darter's grasp.)

[Dragyn]

((Um...am I mistaken, or did Aroth not actually do anything last round?  He should have done the fallback attack, but I see no mention of it in your summary...Also, was my half-orc resilience factored in?  It grants Aroth 5 temp HP the first time he's bloodied.))

[Jonas]

((I went with Passing Attack, Aroth missed and can't move because he's surrounded, and no I didn't account for his racial and have changed the post to accomodate it))

[Dragyn]

((Wait, I missed with a 26 vs. AC at level 1?  How's that work?  Also, Passing Attack is the name of Tvorsk's ability, not mine.))

Assuming at least one of them lives that long, Aroth kicks at one of the creatures threatening him (Crane's Wings Atk), assigning his flurry of blows to a different target.

 ((To clarify a statement from my last attack post, flurry of blows does 7 damage if I put it on the same target, and 9 if it's on a different target, which is why I usually say to put it elsewhere.  Since I'm pretty sure these are minions, it should just kill them outright, if I manage to hit with the triggering attack))

If there aren't any threatening him on his turn, Aroth will make the same attack after jumping back into the fray.  (Essentially, the same as last time, only my fallback and my expected action are the same.)

(I'm only rolling the attack once, since all that should change is the target.)

[Jonas]

((doctor's appointment today, will delay update. Also, I just realized that I missed your last post, Draykin, so I accidentally skipped your turn.))

[Geary]

Zen'Ral grimaces at his comrades being injured. The shaman mumbles inaudibly, commanding his spirit messenger to assault the nearest wounded foe, whilst protects his allies as well. "Evil spirits, begone from this realm at once, and do not lay a hand... tentacle... tendril... do not assault my comrades!"

((Zen'Ral's spirit moves one square south and attacks Darter 1 with Defending Strike. If Darter 1 is already dead, then the same action is preformed on Darter 2. As a result of either, Rynvoor gets +1 AC for the turn.)

[PrincessToyTime]

Altanis Lays on the floor in pain, his mind feels like it is distorted, fuzzy and has a terrible migraine. "Argh! you will not defeat us! let me help you Aroth!" Altanis rises up to his feet and uses his Inspiring Word to encourage and shrug off some of the damage done to Aroth.

[Dragyn]

((Inspiring Word heals surge value + 1d6, right?))

[Digital Vulpine]

((Yes.  It is also a minor action, and standing up is a move action, so if Trask wants to and manages to edit his post before Jonas ends the round he can use Commander's Strike (Standard, at-will) to give someone an extra attack.))

[Jonas]

Altanis’s efforts to mend his ally have cost him his guard. The darter strikes him and sends a reeling force of psychic pain into the fox’s mind.

The drones assaulting Aroth renew their attacks. Silent tentacles lash at his head, but the monk’s keen reflexes allow him to evade.

Alexander’s spirit offers Altanis a much-needed boon, and the frigid burst the shaman unleashes compels yet another taint to be expelled from reality.

Shifting around the darter behind him, Dexter delivers two quick strikes with his blades. The first strikes true, but the second falls just short of the writing tentacles.

Invigored and empowered by his allies healing abilities, Aroth assumes a crane’s stance and launches a rending kick at the fel taints around him. His feetclaws find little resistance as they tear into the tentacle masses, each imploding under the strikes. Building on the attack’s momentum, Aroth leaps backwards and lands safely on the ground, better able to fight against the rest.

Dexter’s quarry hovers in place, slowly undulating in unmistakable caution. It then begins to move backwards. Dexter’s blade lunges out but fails to connect, and the darter phases through the barn wall
and flees.

With only a single foe left, Altanis takes the final initiative. He rushes forwards and lets out a commander’s order, spurring Rynvoor to slam his hammer into the fel taint. It discorporates instantly, leaving nothing behind but a small, sickly-shifting orb.

((Dexter: You were on a raised platform and could not shift northwest. I moved you north instead and changed twin strikes to your melee weapons.

Altanis: There was only one enemy left and you were next on initiative, so I automated your actions.

All: Congratulations on completing your first combat encounter. You each receive 100 experience. Currently, everyone is on the ground floor of the barn except for Dexter, who is still in the rafters.))

[Digital Vulpine]

(Wait, Altanis is "At" on the map and Alexander is "Al", right?  He doesn't seem to be anywhere near any enemies, how would he trigger an opportunity attack?)

Dexter drops down from the rafters and shakes himself off and looks at the others. 

"Those... things were most unexpected.  I was worried they would overrun us at first, it is fortunate that they turned out to be so fragile."

Noticing the orb, Dexter points it out but keeps his distance from it.

"What is that, though?  It is intriguing, but I am loathe to touch anything left by those abominations without first knowing what it is."