[Game Thread] Part I Chapter I: The Caravan Ride

[Kurokuwashu]

Thematic Music A second elemental came arching out of the forest, screaming like an angry banshee and hell-bent on vengeance for its fallen brethren. It was lost in the blanket of darkness for a moment, but reappeared as a swirling vortex of leaves, branches and chunks of dirt as it passed into the cold, pale glow of the evening moonlight. Virtak sensed what was coming and bravely held his position. At the last possible instant, the necromancer twisted his body and avoided what would surely knocked him from the sky. On the ground, the bandits were in a riot. Hissk had retreated into the darkness, Vinny had been called to the drider's aid and two of the last three bandits seemed unwilling to avenge Fitch's death. The entire ambush had turned into the shattered pieces of a fallen mirror. When Blight touched down, he suddenly realized that the earth elemental was no longer a threat to him, but as long as the drider continued to summon creatures to attack Virtak, the young wizard was in grave danger. He needed to engaged the drider, and he needed to do it now.

[Yuul]

A snarl broke through whatever remained of the necromancer's mask. Virtak had almost immediately begun to cast another of his dwindling number of spells before his quick mind halted the instinctive reaction. No, the elementals would keep coming until the drider either ran out of magic to power them or he was no longer alive to cast such magic. Any spells Virtak chose to burn in attempts to kill the summoned minions would largely be wasted resources, especially given his limited supply. Virtak had no doubt that his friend, the one person still alive in whom his trust was absolute, would eventually be able to chase down and kill the arachnid source of their problems. But until then, the necromancer would find himself practically besieged in the sky by beings he could not outrun, and eventually they might bring him down through shear force of numbers. So he did not have that time. And if he couldn't have it, than the aberrant abomination would not have it either. Blight would see to that, especially once the vengeful wizard tossed a helping hand his friend's way. And so with a scornful, mocking glance at the creature of wind and fury Virtak slid through the air to one side in a movement that invited attack before flipping upside down. And dived. The arcanely gifted grace with which the frost eyed man cut through the air would have made any falcon green with envy had they but been there to see it. As it was there wasn't any, and Virtak was already cutting his near free fall and casting a spell. One for both him and Blight, perhaps even the ace up a card shark's sleeve. There was no time for any complicated instruction or notice to let the half-orc know what the necromancer had given him, so he settled for a simple one word message that carried all the meaning its recipient would need. "GO!"

 

Move: Fly 10ft to the right(10ft movement cost) and dive 100ft(50ft movement cost).
Standard: Cast Haste on Blight and Virtak.

Active Effects:
-Fly: Round 11 of 80
-Shield: Round 13 of 80
-Haste: Round 1 of 8

[PIG]

"GO!" Virtak says and that's exactly what he does. Blight surges forward past the other human men, hoping the potion of Sanctuary will keep them at bay until he breaks the spell by firing. Once he spots the drider he loads and bolt and Stealth 20 || Hit 25 | Dmg 8 | Sneak Attk Dmg 11pulls the trigger.

-----------------------------

Round 15
Move Action: Move 30' towards the drider (w/ sanctuary active)
Standard Action: Ranged Sneak Attack (Deliverer)

Right Hand: Crossbow
Left Hand: Empty

 

Put Down: Nothing

Quiver of Bolts: 23
In the Crossbow: 0
Shot this Round: 1

Darts: 20
In the Blowgun: 0
Shot this Round: 0

Bombs Left Today: 4 of 4

Continuous or Instantaneous Inherited Powers (Racial, Class, Etc)
1) Darkvision: Half-orcs see in the dark up to 60 feet.
2) Orc Blood: count as both humans/orcs
3) Evasion: Reflex Save for 1/2 Dmg is reduced to no damage
4) Uncanny Dodge: Can not be caught flat-footed. No AC penalty from invisible attacks.

Continuous or Instantaneous Equipment Powers (Worn Magical Items, Etc)
1) Belt of Tumbling: The belt's wearer gains a +4 competence bonus on Acrobatics checks made to move through a threatened square or through an enemy's space.

Duration Powers (Potion Effects, Spell Durations, Penalties, Power Buffs, Etc)
1) nil

[PIG]

Out of fustration Blight does not find the drider. Where oh where are you, you eight legged whore. He looks over at one of the driders' m14henchman and calmly puts a bolt into his head to ease some of his anger.

[MrD]

The air elemental billowed up. It's dark pit like eyes turned on the airborne abomination that was the human necromancer, his time had come, but as it readied itself to strike the necromancer slipped away. Tumbling backwards he flipped and dived. It lashed out with a dark tendril of coiling cloud but the mage was too quick. With a howl it gave chase. The wizard hurtled towards the ground pulling up sharp to hover near his friend. The storm was only seconds behind but it proved just enough time for the cloak clad man to mutter his arcane words calling on magical energies only he knew how to control. Then the beast was on him. Lashing with it's smoky limbs a howling storm rage. Yet again the mage flowed with the blow and yet again he deflected the raging storm. Below this battle for the skies his friend moved.

The alchemist sprang like a panther his agility belying his size. He slipped past the stunned bandits and sprinted North turning as he went he brought his death dealing crossbow to bear and pulled the trigger. With a click a bolt of freezing steel was sent lancing through the maelstrom freezing the moisture in the air and leaving a trail of snow crystals briefly in it's wake. Someone was in for a cold and painful surprise. In a similar way to his previous two strikes the assassin aimed for the head. The bolt caught the cheek of a bandit as he turned ripping right through and errupting out in a spray of broken teeth, spittle and gore. The man screamed and reached for his tattered face. Staggered under the impact, fell heavily and lay still a filigree shroud of ice crystals grew to envelop his body. "Damn these bows!" the one bandit shouted tossing his weapon to the floor. A gust of wind buffeted the ground throwing sticks and dirt out in an explosion of filth. The bandit looked up and saw the mage hovering less than twenty feet above where he stood. How could he be so reckless? Giving up the safety of the upper air to bring himself in range of the men on the ground. "The wizards back!" he yelled above the howling storm "Burn him boys!". The bandits stepped in closer and as one reached for the glowing orbs at their belts. Two arms drew back and two orbs were thrown. Both missed, blown wide by the raging winds.

Across the glade another pocket of wind sprang up signalling the arrival of another elemental. Just like the last and the one before that it rolled into existence and looked about. It heard it's brothers howl and roared back in kind. It saw the flying monstrosity plunging to the ground and it charged. Once again the flying wizard was in mortal danger. He bobbed helplessly, unable to move like a sitting duck! But his gods or devils or whatever he held as his arcane protector was there to shield him once more. The elemental slammed into him but the Mage flowed like water becoming one with the storm as it hit and once more avoided injury. How long could he keep it up?

[Kurokuwashu]

Thematic Music The battle had become nothing short of an epic struggle between two equally opposing forces. Both sides were standing on the razor edge of disaster. Should the scale tip, even slightly, in favor of one, the other would surely face their doom. Neither wanted to give an inch. Hissk continued to summon outsiders to engaged the flying wizard that had completely impaired his visual senses. The drider seemed all but unconcerned about the mounting losses of his men. The anointed, "Hero's of Deepmar" would give no quarter. It was kill or be killed. The pair had come to far, seen too much, and survived much worse only to find defeat at the hands of some drow abomination. Even as Virtak descended from the air, the elementals were in hot pursuit. There seemed to be no place above the ground that the lone wizard could go to escape the outsiders. One was a vortex of menace directly above him, while the other had positioned itself near eye level with the necromancer. As Blight neared the bubble of darkness created by the fleeing drider, he caught sight of the six-legged creature and the half forgotten Vinny. The dense tree cover however, would make any shot he took against either bandit a near miss. He would need to be focused and precise if he wanted to end this encounter quickly.

[Yuul]

Blight would deal with the drider, Virtak knew, just as soon as he could find him. But for the moment, until his friend succeeded, he would have to contend with the tide of elementals above and bandit thugs below. He was really going to take pleasure in performing his art tonight when the battle was done. Sadly, his focus was needed in the here and now, and not off in the near future. The drider, whatever his name may be, had to be running low on the magic needed to perform these summonings. Four beings had been brought forth from the elemental planes so far tonight, and unless the tauric arachnid was more powerful than he though, it was likely that only another one or two could be performed at most. That was fine, he could handle those numbers, if only barely, but only as long as the current sources of his trouble were out of the way first. He spared a brief look to the growing fires in the north side of the clearing, the necromancer had hoped to save this spell to deal with that, but his and Blight's lives were far more important than a few trees that would have only burned when the next natural fire swept through in the next couple years. So he took advantage of his magic hastened flight and bolted to the north, ascending slightly as he did, before twirling around and casting a spell. It too took the shape of a tiny bead glowing with power, but the light it gave off was not the orange glow of a miniature sun, but a rather icy blue. Taking aim at a middling point between his ground bound and airborne foes Virtak sent his gift on its way.

 

Move: Fly 60ft north(60ft movement) to square L4, whilst ascending 15ft(30ft movement) along the way. Haste increases all forms of movement by 30ft after all.

This provokes AoOs from both elementals.

Standard: Cast Fireball(Cold) at the grid intersection of L/M 15/16 15ft above the ground. Everything in a 20ft radius(which is basically both bandits and elementals) takes

Dice Cold Damage:

8d6

3, 1, 2, 5, 4, 4, 5, 6

Total = 30

cold damage, DC 22 Reflex for half.

 

-Dashboard-

Right Hand: Dagger(Bond object)
Left Hand: Empty

Put Down: Nothing

Current HP: 12/45
Current AC: 22, Touch: 14, Flat: 20
Saves: Fort +4 Ref +5 Will +8


Continuous or Instantaneous Equipment Powers (Worn Magical Items, Etc):
-Headband of Vast Intelligence: +4 to Intelligence
-Ring of Sustenance: Doesn't need food or water, only needs 2 hours of sleep
-Ring of Protection +1: +1 Deflection Bonus to AC
-Cloak of Resistance +1: +1 resistance bonus on all saves
-Apprentice's Cheating Gloves: Mage Hand and Prestidigitation at will

Duration Powers (Potion Effects, Spell Durations, Penalties, Power Buffs, Etc):
-Fly: Round 12 of 80
-Shield: Round 14 of 80
-Haste: Round 2 of 8

[PIG]

As Blight neared the bubble of darkness created by the fleeing drider, he caught sight of the six-legged creature and the half forgotten Vinny. Blight completely ignores the man, knowing that he and Virtak can always go back for him if they wanted. Perception Check 17The drider was the target and the bandit was trying to get away. The rogue alchemist moves like an oiled murder machine with the aid of his necromancer friend's spell, darting over branches and fallen limbs to try and reach the spider, 60' covered in seconds, angling for that perfect shot. Once he sees the spider... he'll take the shot. If he can't get a good shot then he'll draw closer to the blinded creature lumbering the the trees.

-----------------------------

Round 16
Move Action: Move 30' towards the drider
Haste Bonus: Move an extra 30' towards the drider

If I have a clear shot of the drider then:
Standard Action: Criti Hit 33 | Dmg 19 || Crit Confirm Hit 20 | Dmg x2Attack (Deliverer)
Haste Bonus: Nat MissAttack (Deliverer)

If I do not have a clear shot of the drider then:
Move Action: Move 30' towards the drider
Haste Bonus: Move an extra 30' towards the drider

Right Hand: Crossbow
Left Hand: Empty

Effects
Haste: 1 round used

 

Haste: The transmuted creatures move and act more quickly than normal. This extra speed has several effects.

When making a full attack action, a hasted creature may make one extra attack with one natural or manufactured weapon. The attack is made using the creature's full base attack bonus, plus any modifiers appropriate to the situation. (This effect is not cumulative with similar effects, such as that provided by a speed weapon, nor does it actually grant an extra action, so you can't use it to cast a second spell or otherwise take an extra action in the round.)

A hasted creature gains a +1 bonus on attack rolls and a +1 dodge bonus to AC and Reflex saves. Any condition that makes you lose your Dexterity bonus to Armor Class (if any) also makes you lose dodge bonuses.

All of the hasted creature's modes of movement (including land movement, burrow, climb, fly, and swim) increase by 30 feet, to a maximum of twice the subject's normal speed using that form of movement. This increase counts as an enhancement bonus, and it affects the creature's jumping distance as normal for increased speed.

Put Down: Nothing

Quiver of Bolts: 23
In the Crossbow: 0
Shot this Round: 1

Darts: 20
In the Blowgun: 0
Shot this Round: 0

Bombs Left Today: 4 of 4

Continuous or Instantaneous Inherited Powers (Racial, Class, Etc)
1) Darkvision: Half-orcs see in the dark up to 60 feet.
2) Orc Blood: count as both humans/orcs
3) Evasion: Reflex Save for 1/2 Dmg is reduced to no damage
4) Uncanny Dodge: Can not be caught flat-footed. No AC penalty from invisible attacks.

Continuous or Instantaneous Equipment Powers (Worn Magical Items, Etc)
1) Belt of Tumbling: The belt's wearer gains a +4 competence bonus on Acrobatics checks made to move through a threatened square or through an enemy's space.

Duration Powers (Potion Effects, Spell Durations, Penalties, Power Buffs, Etc)
1) nil

[MrD]

In the dim light the Drider sat motionless hidden among the shadows of the dense undergrowth..... patiently..... waiting..... listening.... *crick* A tiny sound, syncopated against the hum of the forest announced the arrival of someone trying not to be noticed. Hissk smiled...

[Kurokuwashu]

Thematic Music Not so very long ago, Virtak Maur had learned to manipulate the basic elemental nature of his magic. Having learned the fundamentals of the necromantic arts at the feet of his father, it was not much of a stretch for the young wizard to take an abstract view of other fields of spellcasting. Thus, when Virtak raced down and away from the air elementals and the lingering bandits below him, the fireball that obliterated his adversaries was similar, but all together different from the one that had earlier set the forest ablaze. The flames that clung to the clothing and flesh of the bandits held no heat, but rather burned with a cold so absolute that it turned all that it touched to solid ice. With no living tissue to freeze, the air elementals fell victim to the arctic blast that dissipated their bodies, sending them back to the plane of air from whence they had been summoned. In one fell swoop, Virtak had cleared the field of combatants, save for two. The last two. The two who had given him the most trouble; Vinny and the drider. Energized, Blight rushed headlong into the canopy of trees. His quarry was near, he could feel it in his orc blood, but the damned spider was a sneaky one. He had easily spotted the coward Vinny, who stood merely a hair's breath away, completely unaware that death was so near. Blight's movements through the tangle of low hanging tree limbs, fallen branches and dead leaves was a quiet as a church mouse running on a cotton floor. That was, until he stopped. Blight could feel the twig give beneath his boot, but he had already committed his weight to the step. The snapping twig sounded to him like one of Virtak's fireballs going off right under his foot. Three things seemed to happen all in the span of a single heartbeat. Blight caught a glimpse of something white racing towards him just as what little remaining light there was vanished. He pivoted, digging the offending foot into the ground, crushing the twig and turned to avoid being entangled by something he could no longer see. Blight swung his head around, but his impotent eyes could not penetrate the veil that covered them. He now had first hand knowledge of the disorientation Black Addis and the drider felt at being plunged into a world of complete and utter darkness.

[Yuul]

The sudden absence of light struck Virtak hard for a moment, and then the life-sight that he had grown used to over the years was brought forth, though if it let him notice anything it would have just been the presence of airborne insects. After a moment the wizard began to move, much slower than his hastened flight allowed, as he only had a short notice to avoid running into something. The descent carried him lower until the edges of his strange sense began to show the pinpricks of life on the ground, ants, grubs, and worms no doubt, and then his flight path turned east, to edge of the forest that was the last general spot he had seen the drider, and much more recently and relevant, Blight head into. Though his sight could pick up any insects on the tree limbs, no branch would be anywhere near to covered in them and so Virtak held his hands out as his half speed flight continued. The only thing that mattered now was if he was on the right path, and if he was lucky enough for his sense to brush the drider's large form, then his response was swift. The only chancy thing beyond locating the foe that vexed him, although probably not as much as Virtak vexed the tauric arachnid back, was whether or not he could pierce its resistance to his magic.

 

Move: 25ft down(12.5ft rounded to 15ft of movement cost) and up to 30ft to the right/east(30ft movement cost) for a total of 45ft or half movement. Possible end square: R4 10ft altitude, but possibly different as Virtak stops if he detects Hissk.

Also, to avoid making

Dice Stealth:

1d20+2

(8)+2

Total = 10

noise whilst moving through the canopy.

If his sense lets him spot Hissk...

Standard: Cast Burning Arc attempting to

Dice Spell Penetration:

1d20+8

(12)+8

Total = 20

pierce Hissk's resistance to deal

Dice Fire Damage:

8d6

6, 2, 6, 6, 2, 4, 3, 6

Total = 35

damage. Reflex Save of 20 halves. If Virtak can see Vinny at the time he casts at Hissk, and Vinny is within 15ft of the drider, then a secondary bolt is sent his way, regardless of whether or not Virtak fails to pierce Hissk's resistance. It deals

Dice Fire Damage:

4d6

5, 6, 5, 2

Total = 18

damage that Reflex save of 18 halves.

 

-Dashboard-

Right Hand: Dagger(Bond object)
Left Hand: Empty

Put Down: Nothing

Current HP: 12/45
Current AC: 22, Touch: 14, Flat: 20
Saves: Fort +4 Ref +5 Will +8


Continuous or Instantaneous Equipment Powers (Worn Magical Items, Etc):
-Headband of Vast Intelligence: +4 to Intelligence
-Ring of Sustenance: Doesn't need food or water, only needs 2 hours of sleep
-Ring of Protection +1: +1 Deflection Bonus to AC
-Cloak of Resistance +1: +1 resistance bonus on all saves
-Apprentice's Cheating Gloves: Mage Hand and Prestidigitation at will

Duration Powers (Potion Effects, Spell Durations, Penalties, Power Buffs, Etc):
-Fly: Round 13 of 80
-Shield: Round 15 of 80
-Haste: Round 3 of 8
-Blindsight Rounds used: 2 of 8(he used one earlier in the day I think)
--Blindsight is out to 10ft and detects only living and undead things.

[MrD]

It was only a matter of time..... The fly will move..hssssfsfsssss...become entangled in my web...Hshshs..fssss...and then he is mine...hsssssfssssss.sss...tastee little fly...hssssff.sff Black venom dripped from the drider's fangs running down it's chin in delightful anticipation of the meal to come.. "Someone's comin' boss!" The alarm call went up from his one remaining loyal subject. What..? surely not the cowardly mage... Hissk froze on his perch high in the tree tops and listened. Sure enough below him to the west the tell tale sounds of someones passage..the snap of twigs the faint rustle of leaves... So the other liittle fly has come to tea...hsssfssss He hung poised on a silken thread safe in the knowledge that his foe were as blind as him now.. ..just a few more feet little fly....hssssffff If the wizard was to continue the way he was headed he would move right under the drider. ..come now flyeee...just a little further.... but then the sound stopped. Why? Why would he stop there? He'd only stop there if he could... ...See me!!! The drider dropped from it's perch it's spinnerets frantically deploying thread an instant before a wave of heat and flame washed over him but he wasn't quick enough to avoid the full blast. With a scream the drider thrashed against the all consuming flames. He lowered himself further to escape the heat but what he didn't know was that the thread on which he hung also burned. *twang* The thread gave way. Hissk tumbled from the tree tops thrashing through the branches it's black hairy legs scrabbling wildly in the darkness. With a crash he hit the ground. "Flyeeeeeeeeeee!" Enraged at the necromancers audacity it rolled back onto it's feet and charged at the hidden menace. ...but in it's rage it'd forgotten one thing... ...the web.. Sticky strand like fibres clung to the charging drider wrapping and cocooning. "AAARRRrRrrrgrhrhrhrhrhrrrrr....fflyyeeeeeeeee !" The more it struggled the worse it became.... Finally it came to rest trapped like so many of it's past meals.. "hssssss.s.ssSHSSSsss.ss.ss.s...!" Somewhere in the back of it's evil mind the drider knew the game was up... ...it's thought's turned now to... ...ESCAPE!!

[Kurokuwashu]

Thematic Music

In the docks district of Kintargo, a chill wind blew through the open door of a tavern. A tall dark-haired man stood on the threshold waiting for his pupils to become accustomed to the change in light.

"Hey, close that door."

"Oh uh, sorry pal. Talk about a seaside breeze huh?"

The man saddled up to the bar, showing a lot of teeth under his thin wiry mustache.

"Aye, give me a large mug of you darkest lager."

He leaned an elbow against the bar and nodded at the row of men already there.

"Woo boy, that's one stiff wind out there. But it's great to be back in Kintargo though. My name's Malone."

He held out his hand as if to offer a shake. But then, with a quick flip of his wrist, produced a kitchen match out of mid air.

"My friends call me 'Matches'."

The man slapped a gold piece on the bar.

"Hey thanks buddy. You got a nice place here. Hey, I heard that my old buddy Virtak blew through town a few days back. You wouldn't have seen him would you?"

"We get a lot of guys through here."

"Heh. You'd remember Virtak if you saw him. Pale blue eyes, dark hair. Darker then mine even. Stands about six-one. A lanky guy."

"Sorry, don't ring a bell with me. Here's your change mister."

Malone put a hand over the money and eased it back over the bar.

"I'd uh, really like to hook-up with him. I owe him fifty gold. If I know Virtak, he could use it. Hey uh, wait a minute."

[Kurokuwashu]

Thematic Music

He reached into his pack and pulled out a tattered sheet of paper. On it was an image so realistic, it almost looked like the two men would start laughing out loud.

"Here, see? This is me and Virtak in Varisia from just a few years back."

The barkeep palmed the coins and looked hard at the image.

"Oh yeah, there is something familiar about that face. But I can't quite place him. Hey Jacky, you got a pretty good memory. You ever see this guy around?"

"Huh? Oh sure. I seen 'em. He was in here about a week ago. Left with that big guy. The one that looked like a orc. He had shoulders out to here. Remember Lou? Bought a round for the house."

"Virtak bought a round? That doesn't sound like him at all."

"Naw. Not the guy on the paper. The orc guy."

"Oh yeah, the half-breed with the funny looking crossbow. Him, I'll never forget. Hey, your buddy Virtak ever wear a dark hood and cloak?"

"Eh, sometimes."

"Okay. I remember him now. He was here alright. Middle of last week I think it was. He left with Mr. Green-skinned Half-breed, and I haven't seen him since. Everyone's been calling them the 'Hero's of Deepmar', onna count of them rescuing Captain Ashferth and the miners trapped on the island."

"Hero's of Deepmar, huh? That's Virtak for you. Always making friends, wherever he goes."

"Yeah well, friends like that one he can keep to himself."

[Kurokuwashu]

"Aww, come on Lou. The guy bought us a round. His money was good. You said so."

"His money was good, yeah. But the creep had an attitude. Listen, he tried to come across as a big spender, but he had a way of moving all deliberate and dangerous. Like he thought he could take out everyone in the room. You know what I mean?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I think I do. You wouldn't happen to know where they went?"

"Sorry Malone. I wish I could help ya. I don't have a clue."

"[B]]"They were going to Westcrown. That's where they went."[/B][/FIELDSET] [FIELDSET=" "Westcrown? Are you sure about that?"

"Yeah. Pretty sure. As I was walking by them early the next morning I heard Tamera tell them to talk to Theo Balwry or Roger Windum. And everyone knows that both of them make their major trade stops in Westcrown."

"Pal, let me buy you a drink. In fact, what the heck. Drinks for the house! Let's all hoist one to old Virtak!"