[Game Thread] Chapter 1: Blood on the Sand

[Avelestar]

OOC: Changing the spell is fine, sorry for not checking with you.

[chaosaccountant]

As chaos gripped the part of the battlefield he was watching, wind barely surveyed it, his mind full of the myriad legs and primitive, nacent hunger. He circled low and wide, gesturing with a flick of a wing and a screech outside human hearing to the cat crouched in the dunes. It made no signal of aknowledgement, but sped over the dunes to a raider who had disenbarked at a distance to the others, savagely grapping it's leg to pull it down.

ooc Maintaining concentration on the swarm (damage 5, poison 2). Lynx charging whatever raider is furthest from the others (other than the one covered in spiders, obviously.) Attack 25, damage 11, trip 24. All dice rolls here.

[orangehatter]

"We've been searching you. You left so quick."

Cheveyo shrugged, pursing his lips as though to say, A man has to do what a man has to do. It would be a lie to say he wasn't nervous. Yet as the sound of the raiders became louder, something began to change in him. It swelled from deep in his stomach, birthing a sound he couldn't quite make out...

"If you stay close to me, you won't need the torch. My body sheds some light, if I want."

Cheveyo felt himself unconsciously loosen his grip, dropping the torch to the sand. The fires remained licking at the air as he peeked around the corner once again. The raiders were coming closer, and still the music seemed to crescendo within the depths of his being. Wha...what is this?! While a shaky hand clutched lightly at his own heart, he felt the Asherati's dry hand on his shoulder.

"May Ka'Men bless you with the Power of the Ashworm."

Ka'Men. Power. As intense energy overcame him, the two words seemed to join the building chorus. Yes, that was what it was! It was a choir, and anthem of force built from everything he new. The spell caused his muscles to burn, but something else burned in his soul. And now, Cheveyo knew what this fire was: The Song of War.

The surreal melody played in a gross set of diminished chords, and he felt heat run to his eyes. His breath came quick as he turned back to watch the raiders already tussling with his companions. Despite the distance, the blood still managed to reach his nose. Even though the storm of intense emotions remained churning in his torso, he was quiet. No war cry, no cheat-beating. Just the feeling of controlled, primal ferocity.

Wordlessly, he rounded the tree and sped off towards the ensuing chaos. His feet pounded against the sand as he hauled his large bulk at an alarming speed. In his own eyes he seemed slow and cumbersome. His vision tunneled in to a target directly in front of the skimmer; Cheveyo was on a collision course with fated battle. It seemed the stonemason forgot the blade in his right hand for a moment as he used his momentum to engage his left hand to swing wide in a devastating hook.

[Silk]

Emeria's vital stats: HP: 41/41; AC: 19(T: 14, FF: 15); Fortitude +6/Reflex +11/Will +2

Laying very still so as not to shift the sand off her hidden form Emeria waits. And as happens some times before a battle her mind wanders though her senses stay tuned to her surroundings. 'I was rude to Taharqua, walking out after he offered to cast protective spells. I thought there was little time for that.' Emeria shrugs mentally and instinctively resists shrugging for real. 'It appears three days is not enough to train my mind for working with a group. And I suppose I was a little hard on Kethyr too. His way of thinking is alien to me, but I suppose I should at least wait for the elements to begin to roast him in his armor before calling him a fool again. That way...' Emeria's thoughts still as feet pass at the bare edge of her sensing range. But the vibrations she felt was calm and measured steps so it was more then likely one of her companions getting into position.

Once more calming down Emeria found her thoughts wondering back to the conversation she had with Cheveyo of the Moax over three days ago. The conversation she did not get to finish then or latter. Then something big slid across the sand coming to a stop about fifteen feet away. Her body wanted to tense but she resisted. As soon as, what she thought was the raiders skiff, stopped something just as large but alive and sliding across the sands like a snake quickly rushed the skiff and their was a loud sound of breaking wood and barking screams ensued. 'Kethyr!' Like a coiled snake Emeria rolled forward from underneath the sand and was running to the closes raider she could feel before her eyes were even clear of the grity sand. With a grim but determined expression on her face she gutted the raider with a horizontal swing of her scimitar. Without pause Emeria shifted her attention to the back of another raider only five feet ahead and to her right. In two steps she was behind him and raising her scimitar and kukri, Emeria brought them down in crossing arcs across the raiders body to end with her bloody weapons out to each side.

Actions Movement: Emeria will be one square up and one to the right. If flanking is different in Pathfinder then I will need to adjust my attacks. Don't have time right now. going to be late for work, maybe. EDITED post. Nothing major changed. It does not say in the description for the feat, but can I still be flanked with 'Scorpion Sense'? Basically 10/20 foot tremorsense.

[Eviltedzies]

The surge of adrenaline flows through Kethyr's body as his intitial charge brings about the expected chaos. The feel of his lance piercing through flesh and bone told Kethyr that he had hit his mark. As the body slides off the tip of his weapon, Kethyr brought Ama about face towards the closest foe. "Good move girl... although my weight was shifted a bit too far to the right. I'll need to compensate next time."

Glancing at the nearest raider, Kethyr squeezed Ama's sides gently. "Show em what you got girl." As if in response, Ama lets out a quick roar and whips her tail out wide. Her stinger aimed at the nearest raider.

Actions 1. Turning Ama to face the foe two squares down and to the right. (I think that would only count as a 5ft movement for her to turn? If not its her move action.) 2. Having Ama attack with her stinger. (10ft reach) If it hits the poison dc is DC 18 Fort save. Ama's Attack/Damage/Poison Damage roles. Amarah's Stats: HP:66/66, AC:23, Saves (Same as Kethyr's).

[Avelestar]

Wind continued to harry the second sandskimmer, his swarm of spiders continuing to eat away at one of the raiders. He falls to the ground, writhing in agony, trying to dislodge the spiders, but he's still alive. Meanwhile, Wind's lynx burst forth from behind a sand dune setting its sights on the closest bhuka. The raider fell screaming, till a savage bite tore out his throat. A pair of raiders turned to face this new threat, walking backwards slowly whilst keeping their guard up, whilst the remaining six raiders started righting their sandskimmer, ignoring their dying companions, concentrating only on their mission.

Back at Rosemount, the party fared much better with another four foes falling. The first impaled upon Ama's stinger, his body convulsing as poison pumped through his veins. Cheveyo, empowered with the strength of an ashworm, swung a mighty blow at one of the bhuka. The raider raised his shield in desperate defense, but such was the force of the attack that shield and arm were snapped backwards with a sickening crunch, followed up by a quick slice with the eagle's claw in his right hand to finish the job.

Both hellcats slew another opponent, the sandform serval leaping up onto the wreckage of the ruined skimmer to find more prey, whilst Emeria killed another raider desperately trying to guard himself from the ambush. Emeria however was struck from behind as she killed her raider, her tremorsense confused due to the massive movements of Ama nearby. Her quick reflexes however, blocked an attack by a second raider as she span around to face this new threat. (7 Damage)

OOC: I take liberties when reporting the outcomes of a round, such as how Cheveyo killed his opponent, despite only making one attack mechanically, or Emeria not feeling her foes closeby due to Ama making lots of noise. I'm not really giving him a second attack, or screwing Emeria over. Going to say no on the no-flanking thing. Tremorsense is going to be very good in some of the later encounters, don't worry!

[chaosaccountant]

Seeing the spiders taking care of the raider, and the skimmer at risk of being righted, wind changed his focus. Leaving the spiders to finish their meal on their own, and disperse as they would, he began screaching into the air again, his claws rimed briefly in flame as he passed over the deck of the skimmer. The boards began to char as a shifting column of flame manifested out of the air, now a flickering humaniod, now a shifting, serpentine form.
Below the skimmer, the lynx sized up the two bhuku that were facing it. It lept towards them, but it's attack was more measured, and less brutal for it.

ooc Sacking Wind Wall for Summon Monster III and a small Fire Elemental, appearing on the ship (to set it on fire). Lynx moving and attacking (not charging). Lynx attack 21, damage 5, trip 13. Spider swarm (2 rounds remaining) damage 4, poison 1. All rolls here.

stats Wind 52hp, AC 21, Saves 8/5/11 Lynx 43hp, AC 20, Saves 7/10/3

[orangehatter]

The power! It surged through Cheveyo, continuing its rampaging tempo. He struck his own note through the instrument of breaking bones. The Bhuka was cut down before the full recognition of his battered limb reached his face. Chevyo's breath heaved as he set his sights on new prey. He didn't expect so easy of an encounter.

His red-rimmed eyes swung left, catching sight of Emeria being caught from behind. With the freshest quarry spotted, the behemoth wasted no time in speeding off again. Strength, adrenaline, and magic energized his legs, trailing sand in a dust cloud behind him while he circled behind the female tempest. The Bhuka to her left may never have seen him coming. Just before it seemed Cheveyo would collide into the smaller creature, he slid the last few feet and ducked low before exploding upwards. It was an uppercut of tremendous force, surely devastating to the raider.

OOC Circled behind Emeria to attack Raider at lowest portion of the screen.

[tilbert]

The sounds of of the battle above are almost completely muffled about 5 feet below the surface. Taharqua doesn't hear the screams of the small enemies being slaughtered by his fellow mercenaries. The thud sound of their bodies falling lifeless to the ground, the heavy steps of the stonemason and the grinding sound of Ama is everything the hears. Through the sand he he discerns a group of three persons where Emeria was fighting some Bhuku moments ago. No need to cast more spells Taharqua thinks and emerges the sea of sand and steps few step closer to the closest Bhuku. "You scum have chosen the town. It's protected by righteous people" He yells at them openly displaying his golden Sandshaper insignia.

ooc Intimidate: 24

[Silk]

Emeria's vital stats: HP: 41/34; AC: 19(T: 14, FF: 15); Fortitude +6/Reflex +11/Will +2

Emeria's scimitar slices open the chest of her foe even as her Kukri slides off his tough hide, but it is enough as the Buhku falls with a scream. Spinning in place, kicking up sand in her haste, Emeria knocks aside an attack from behind with her Kukri. The blade of her enemy passes with in inches of her eye. She was not so successful with deflecting the second raiders attack and liquid fire seared along her left hip and thigh. But Emeria would not be who she is if pain alone stopped her. She accepted the pain as she had accepted the risk of it happening. When she attacked her last foe Emeria knew very well that she gave her back to the two raiders. It was a calculated risk. Now she had her balance back and faced her enemy's, her companions were around her and only two were left. Victory was assured as Emeria's scimitar bit deeply into one of the Buhku.

ooc: Go ahead and take liberties like that. It makes the combat more seamless and make a bit more sense then the normal PbP combat post's. Sounds good with the tremorsense thingy. I didn't take into account that everyone else was making tremor noise too.

[Eviltedzies]

"Looks like we're even so far girl. 1 to 1." Seeing the raiders drop like flies, Kethyr leans forward and urges Ama forward. "Lets go right across and say hello." Slithering forward, Ama climbs across the sandskimmer. Towering above the remaining two radiers, Kethyr makes a quick thrust with his lance towards the nearest raider.

Actions 1. Moving down 25ft through the sandskimmer. (Not sure if it counts as rough terrain or not. 2. If possible, Kethyr will make an attack against the closest raider. If not, disregard my attack/damage post in the dice thread. Amarah's Stats: HP:66/66, AC:23, Saves (Same as Kethyr's).

[Avelestar]

Out in the open desert, the spider swarm finally killed it's prey and started scuttling towards another bhuka. Lynx leapt upon one of the two raiders facing him, sinking his teeth deep into a leg and pulling hard to bring the bhuka to the floor. Luckily for the raider he managed to keep his balance and shake off the beast, however both he and his ally missed their counterattacks as the cat leapt to one side deftly. At the same time as all this was occuring, chaos broke out on the sandskimmer once again. Having just righted the vessel, the bhuka were busy trying to unravel tangled rope from the sails....only for them to burst into flames as a being of pure fire crashed down from the heavens. The fire elemental started to tear the skimmer apart, and it was only a couple of seconds before the dry wood was burning hotly, and clay cracked and broke from the unnatural heat. Bhuka leapt from the ship once more, and as one started to flee back to their hideout.

Back at Rosemount, Ama crashed through the sandskimmer once more, her massive size and sinuous body shape completely unrestricted. From atop the mighty ashworm, Kethyr struck down at the raider who had just wounded Emeria, his lance piercing deep into one shoulder and the bhuka slumped to the floor. Crossing the short distance quickly, Cheveyo swung his fist at the remaining raider, who barely managed to dodge aside. From the sand behind him, Taharqua burst forth, showering the bhuka in golden sand. Glowing from within, shouting a warning and holding forth his symbol...it was hard to resist the sandshaper, and the last raider fell to his knees, dropping his weapons and begging for his life.

From behind, close to the storehouse you hear a shout "HEY HELP, THERE'S MORE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF TOWN!" "A SKIMMER JUST TOOK THREE WHOLE FAMILIES!" yells another. Turning around, you see a pair of teenagers, almost adults. They both carry bloodstained longswords, a handful of cuts, and appear to be the two you saw guarding the mayor's house on the day you arrived. It's about now, some of you may have started to think about Wind. Looking out into the desert would show a large column of fire, and screams carried on the wind...you think the druid can fend for himself just fine for now.

OOC: Sorry for the attachment, photobucket is down! (Well login is, I can't get past the first screen...keep getting errors)

[chaosaccountant]

Seeing the raiders begin fleeing across the desert, wind swung around and dived at their exposed backs, his fang-filled maw agape as he slammed into the back of the raider. The bite glanced off before the jaws could fully close, but the wound was still grevous.
The lynx retreated as step, at bay. It's bite fell short, nervous of the blades, but it's claw snaked into the opening to score blood on the injured raider.

ooc Diving charge on one of the fleeing raiders. Lynx makes a full attack on one of the raiders. Wind attack 26, damage 9. Lynx attacks 10/24/13, damage 9/5/4. I'm presuming the spider swarm isn't going to get to anyone this round. The fire elemental can carry on burning things (5 rounds remaining). All rolls here.

stats Wind 52hp, AC 19, Saves 8/5/11 Lynx 43hp, AC 20, Saves 7/10/3

[tilbert]

Taharqua spins around when he hears the teenagers shouting. "Come here, lads. I'll take care of your wounds. The fire won't harm you" he says and then unleashes a ray of fire targeted at the worse injured teen.
"Please, look after this one. He surrendered.

ooc Heals 5 HP

[Eviltedzies]

Kethyr feels the vibrations travel up his lance as it slides into the small raider. With measured grace, the elf slides his weapon out as he whips a few drops off blood from the tip. "Two to one girl. I'm ahead." The cowering raider sets a smile on Kethyr's lips from underneath his helmet. "They always act so tough as a group, but get on alone and they crumble away like everything in the desert."

The sudden news of another skimmer snaps Kethyr back into the situation. Both Ama and Kethyr turn there heads to gaze off into the directions the supposed skimmer had come and left. "Dammit, we should have expected them to attack from more than one angle. These raiders aren't stupid, but we got careless." Kethyr glances at his companions and projects his voice with a serious humour. "Ama and I shall ride after the retreating skimmer. Neither of us intends to lose this race... or innocent villagers."

With a crack of his reins Kethyr speeds off on the most direct route towards the retreating sandskimmer. "Hiya! Hiya! Common girl lets show em why we're the fastest riders of the dunes!" Rearing her head back for a moment, Amarah shoots forwards, using her momentum to kick-start her slithering gallop.

Actions 1. Heading towards the other side of town and trying to locate the sand trial or dust cloud of the retreating sand skimmer. Kethyr and Ama will attempt to chase it down. Ama's Base Speed 30ft. So if mounts use the same rules for running. Amarah's galloping speed should be 120ft/round. Hi-ho silver away!!!