Post by TheUdjat on Mar 30, 2009 11:22:28 GMT -5
(Answering Questions/Comments)
Well, it is appearance, but more in the sense of force of personality than aesthetic looks. Looks help, but this goes beyond that. Elric has an effective D&D Charisma of around 6 or 7, if that helps.
Oops. I probably should’ve made a post in the Campaign Status or something to indicate the first game post. Sorry Vemu!
You are correct, that’s my own oversight. I’ll address this in the beginning of the post.
As the battle begins to brew, Amalric focuses on the hawk soaring above him, and the bird’s eye view she(?) gives him. An image flashes into his mind—five more men huddled behind the wagon, ready to leap into the fray, confirming his worries. Instantly, Amalric reaches out to the mind of the Guard Captain, Elric, to warn him of this.
Elric spurs his horse on to fight, ordering his men to attack. He himself focuses on the leader, fighting captain-to-captain as it were. The longsword sweeps down with an easy, powerful stroke, catching the man full across the chest in a devastating strike. Had the man worn no armor, he surely would have been cleaved apart, though as it stands he is grievously wounded. He staggers back, reeling, blood pouring down his body—but he doesn’t fall. The bandit is a tough one.
Jakob curses Tawno being in the way, bringing his bow up to attack, though being mounted, the woman on foot is not much of a hindrance. Yet. But when he sets the arrow free, it careens wide of his target, thudding harmlessly into the overturned wagon behind the bandits. He finds a way to curse the woman for this, too—she was a distraction, if nothing else.
But as combat starts, the group finds their worst fears confirmed as crossbow bolts streak down from the treetops. The trees are thick and leafy in spring, and any men there undoubtedly difficult to spot. Two bolts fly down at one of Elric’s guardsman—one sinks deep into his back, perhaps his spine, while the other buries itself in his shoulder at a wicked angle. With scarcely time to make a cry of pain, the man slumps in his saddle, arms going limp, blood streaming over his back and onto his horse. A third bolt thuds harmlessly into the ground by the other mounted guardsman, while the last catches him in the leg—agonizing, but not life threatening. Grimacing in pain, the mounted guardsman follows his captain into the fray, swinging his longsword down at another bandit—but this one proves too wily, prodding the weapon away with a deft maneuvering on his spear.
The other guardsmen attempt to lend their support as well, trying first to spot the men in the trees and return fire. The wagon’s driver spits a curse, unable to find any, and so he fires at one of the spear-wielding bandits instead. The bolt flies true, clipping his shoulder in what looks like a solid strike—but instead it sinks deep into his leather armor, drawing some blood, but nothing significant. The other two guardsmen manage to spot an archer, however, one of them point up with a shout of, “There, above!” Even with the help, spotting the figures above is tricky. Bows are fired, sending arrows into the trees, but there are no shouts of pain to indicate a hit.
But even as missiles are flung to and fro and the sounds of earnest combat begin, Tawno stays near the front, this time to openly spell a portent of death and damnation for the bandit leader once again. The man is bloody and bleeding, and it is an easy thing for the gypsy to speak at him. Despite his pain and bleeding, he seems to perceive her and her words, and his eyes widen in terror. Perhaps it is Tawno, perhaps it is the brutal blow dealt to him by Elric, but one way or another, the man is well and truly prepared to flee, that much is clear. Satisfied, the gypsy retreats back to the wagon.
Scared though they might be, the bandits retaliate. Two of them cluster around Elric’s fellow, jabbing at him with their spears. One lands solid hit on the man’s side, though not deep enough to take him out of the fight. Another moves hesitantly to fight Elric, and his trepidation keeps him from hitting anything but air.
The last of the spear-wielders turns his fearful gaze on Tawno. “Witch!” he shouts wildly, and rears back his arm to hurl the spear at her. To the man’s own surprise, the spear catches Tawno’s full in the abdomen, a visceral strike that slices open her side and sends her reeling, light-headed. Being called a witch is nothing new, but the gypsy woman has never had the unique experience of being impaled with a spear.
Then, as Isabeau foresaw, more bandits emerge from behind the wagon—four of them, all with spears. Two of them follow the lead of their fellow, hurling their spears at those at the wagon—specifically the two guardsmen at the fore. Each spear strikes home, one piercing through the driver’s shoulder, the other catching the bowman in his side, much as Tawno was injured. He grabs at the spear, trying to pull it loose, grunting in pain.
The other two spearmen add to those around Elric, stabbing and jabbing at him. One manages to hit him, and the strike catches him under one arm, where his armor failed to protect him. Blood begins to flow from the guard captain, and he struggles to keep himself mounted.
Hanging back by the wagon, Arnaud observes all of this. His crossbow in hand, he levels it at the crude fellow that dared hurl a spear at a lady. He also happens to be an easy shot, which helps. The bolt flies true, the bolt slamming dead center into his torso, just under his ribs. The bandit goes down with a rasping cry, eyes still wide and fearful—one down, but so many more to go.
Rupert takes note of the raging battle, and quickly decides it is not for him. He ducks off into the trees, and is quickly forgotten in the raging battle. It is likely the bandits hadn’t thought much of the boy before he sprang off into the foliage.
Finally, the fifth man emerges from behind the wagon, this one also carrying an axe—he looks remarkably similar to the maimed and panicked leader under assault by Elric, marking him for a brother, perhaps. Indeed, he instantly advances on Elric, joining the host around the guard captain. “Bad day for a charge, good sir!” he shouts, swinging the axe up—it catches him full in the chest, and though the armor helps to lessen the blow, it still dents the metal horribly, cutting into the soft flesh beneath. The bandit leader wrenches the weapon out from the armor, grinning, ready to swing it again.
Amalric immediately decides that this will not do; not at all. In the chaos, he focuses on this new leader, the one with the axe, and speaks his incantations, making a sharp gesture, focusing his will against the man’s own. The bandit’s weak mind unfolds easily before him, and Amalric floods him with pain and agony and weakness—even if it is all in his head. Once-grinning, the man now gives a sharp cry of unexpected pain, one hand grasping his head while he stumbles a step.
Meanwhile, the other magus, Joseph, finishes the careful and precise words of his own spell. He pushes out with his arms, the wind moving with him, rushing out from their backs to blast down the road in a fierce gust. Several bandits stumble a step from the sudden winds as leaves are torn from the trees and dust is kicked up, all from nowhere. Isabeau wheels for a moment, flapping unsteadily, but does not blow away in the sudden wind.
Winds blowing, spears and bolts flying, blades glinting in the afternoon light—the scene is one of chaos, the ground already slashed with the blood of the injured.
Initiative: Elric (26), Jakob (20), Bandit Archers (20), Covenant Guards (19), Tawno (17), Bandits (14), Arnaud (12), Rupert (9), Bandit Leaders (7), Amalric & Isabeau (7), Joseph (6).
Description: 5 bandits are clustered around Elric, 4 of them actively attacking him. 2 are attacking the other mounted guardsman (the one not dying). 2 more are in the open, eyeing the wagon—they don’t have spears, but they have clubs at their side that seem a likely substitute. 4 archers sit in the treetops, tricky to spot. The wagon is still a good 20’ from the bandits, but the horses drawing it are looking none to happy, and both men driving the wagon have been impaled with spears. As has Tawno.
The road is some ten feet wide. Trees are all around off the path. The wind is now gusting powerfully (-2 to ranged attacks and notice checks for sound. Tiny creatures knocked down/blown away). Since Rojito specified he wanted the winds blowing against the bandits, the ranged weapon penalty does not apply if attacking the bandits by the wagon (but does for the archers, who are in different directions).
Any questions about what just happened with the Toughness Saves? The concept is fairly straight-forward. Fail by 1-4, you are Hurt (-1 on future saves vs. lethal damage); Fail by 5-9 and you are wounded (-1 on saves vs. lethal/nonlethal) and stunned. Fail by 10-14 and you are staggered and disabled. Fail by 15-19 and you’re unconscious and dying. Fail by 20 or more and you’re instantly dead.
A dying characters makes a DC 10 Constitution check every round. If the fail, they die. If they pass, they are still dying, unless they succeed by 20 or more, at which point they are disabled instead of dying.
(Character Status)
Amalric – Normal
Arnaud – Normal
Elric – Mounted, Hurt (-1 vs. lethal), Wounded (-1), Stunned
Jakob – Normal, Mounted
Joseph –Mounted, Winded (-1 Str/Dex, no charge)
Rupert – Normal
Tawno – Wounded (-1), Stunned
Isabeau – Normal
Guardsman 1 – Driving Cart, Wounded (-1), Stunned
Guardsman 2 – Mounted, Wounded (-2), Unconscious, Dying
Guardsman 3 – Mounted, Hurt (-2 vs. Lethal)
Guardsman 4 – Normal, Walking
Guardsman 5 –Riding Cart, Wounded (-1), Stunned
Bandit Leader – Shaken, Wounded (-1), Stunned, Panicked [in front of Elric]
Bandit 1 – Shaken [attacking Guardsman 3]
Bandit 2 – Shaken [attacking Guardsman 3]
Bandit 3 – Shaken [attacking Elric]
Bandit 4 – Shaken, Unconscious, Dying
Bandit Leader 2 – Normal [attacking Elric]
Bandit 5 – Normal [attacking Elric]
Bandit 6 – Normal [attacking Elric]
Bandit 7 – Normal [in the open; no spears]
Bandit 8 – Normal [in the open; no spears]
Bandit Archer 1 – Normal [west side of road, DC 10 Notice check to target]
Bandit Archer 2 – Normal [west side of road, DC 10 Notice check to target]
Bandit Archer 3 – Normal [east side of road, DC 10 Notice check to target]
Bandit Archer 4 – Normal [east side of road, DC 10 Notice check to target]
Charisma: I always confuse it with appearance too, since Elric is battle-scarred I thought it fit.
I'm not 100% on what you want, like if you want us to roll our attacks or not, I'm sure you'll correct me next turn if it isn't the case.
I'm not 100% on what you want, like if you want us to roll our attacks or not, I'm sure you'll correct me next turn if it isn't the case.
Yikes, this has already been going on for three threads? I was still wondering when things would get started!
Did Amalric get a warning off to the guard captain before things kicked off?
I was under the impression that mind touch could send images, as per your description in the character post
I was under the impression that mind touch could send images, as per your description in the character post
As the battle begins to brew, Amalric focuses on the hawk soaring above him, and the bird’s eye view she(?) gives him. An image flashes into his mind—five more men huddled behind the wagon, ready to leap into the fray, confirming his worries. Instantly, Amalric reaches out to the mind of the Guard Captain, Elric, to warn him of this.
[Elric can freely accept this mental contact or resist it. Likely he has never had this sort of experience before.]
The warning comes at the heels of the gypsy’s attempts to frighten the bandits, and Elric is already launching into the fray when the magus’s voice whispers into his mind—assuming the mental contact is not resisted.Elric spurs his horse on to fight, ordering his men to attack. He himself focuses on the leader, fighting captain-to-captain as it were. The longsword sweeps down with an easy, powerful stroke, catching the man full across the chest in a devastating strike. Had the man worn no armor, he surely would have been cleaved apart, though as it stands he is grievously wounded. He staggers back, reeling, blood pouring down his body—but he doesn’t fall. The bandit is a tough one.
Jakob curses Tawno being in the way, bringing his bow up to attack, though being mounted, the woman on foot is not much of a hindrance. Yet. But when he sets the arrow free, it careens wide of his target, thudding harmlessly into the overturned wagon behind the bandits. He finds a way to curse the woman for this, too—she was a distraction, if nothing else.
But as combat starts, the group finds their worst fears confirmed as crossbow bolts streak down from the treetops. The trees are thick and leafy in spring, and any men there undoubtedly difficult to spot. Two bolts fly down at one of Elric’s guardsman—one sinks deep into his back, perhaps his spine, while the other buries itself in his shoulder at a wicked angle. With scarcely time to make a cry of pain, the man slumps in his saddle, arms going limp, blood streaming over his back and onto his horse. A third bolt thuds harmlessly into the ground by the other mounted guardsman, while the last catches him in the leg—agonizing, but not life threatening. Grimacing in pain, the mounted guardsman follows his captain into the fray, swinging his longsword down at another bandit—but this one proves too wily, prodding the weapon away with a deft maneuvering on his spear.
The other guardsmen attempt to lend their support as well, trying first to spot the men in the trees and return fire. The wagon’s driver spits a curse, unable to find any, and so he fires at one of the spear-wielding bandits instead. The bolt flies true, clipping his shoulder in what looks like a solid strike—but instead it sinks deep into his leather armor, drawing some blood, but nothing significant. The other two guardsmen manage to spot an archer, however, one of them point up with a shout of, “There, above!” Even with the help, spotting the figures above is tricky. Bows are fired, sending arrows into the trees, but there are no shouts of pain to indicate a hit.
But even as missiles are flung to and fro and the sounds of earnest combat begin, Tawno stays near the front, this time to openly spell a portent of death and damnation for the bandit leader once again. The man is bloody and bleeding, and it is an easy thing for the gypsy to speak at him. Despite his pain and bleeding, he seems to perceive her and her words, and his eyes widen in terror. Perhaps it is Tawno, perhaps it is the brutal blow dealt to him by Elric, but one way or another, the man is well and truly prepared to flee, that much is clear. Satisfied, the gypsy retreats back to the wagon.
Scared though they might be, the bandits retaliate. Two of them cluster around Elric’s fellow, jabbing at him with their spears. One lands solid hit on the man’s side, though not deep enough to take him out of the fight. Another moves hesitantly to fight Elric, and his trepidation keeps him from hitting anything but air.
The last of the spear-wielders turns his fearful gaze on Tawno. “Witch!” he shouts wildly, and rears back his arm to hurl the spear at her. To the man’s own surprise, the spear catches Tawno’s full in the abdomen, a visceral strike that slices open her side and sends her reeling, light-headed. Being called a witch is nothing new, but the gypsy woman has never had the unique experience of being impaled with a spear.
Then, as Isabeau foresaw, more bandits emerge from behind the wagon—four of them, all with spears. Two of them follow the lead of their fellow, hurling their spears at those at the wagon—specifically the two guardsmen at the fore. Each spear strikes home, one piercing through the driver’s shoulder, the other catching the bowman in his side, much as Tawno was injured. He grabs at the spear, trying to pull it loose, grunting in pain.
The other two spearmen add to those around Elric, stabbing and jabbing at him. One manages to hit him, and the strike catches him under one arm, where his armor failed to protect him. Blood begins to flow from the guard captain, and he struggles to keep himself mounted.
Hanging back by the wagon, Arnaud observes all of this. His crossbow in hand, he levels it at the crude fellow that dared hurl a spear at a lady. He also happens to be an easy shot, which helps. The bolt flies true, the bolt slamming dead center into his torso, just under his ribs. The bandit goes down with a rasping cry, eyes still wide and fearful—one down, but so many more to go.
Rupert takes note of the raging battle, and quickly decides it is not for him. He ducks off into the trees, and is quickly forgotten in the raging battle. It is likely the bandits hadn’t thought much of the boy before he sprang off into the foliage.
Finally, the fifth man emerges from behind the wagon, this one also carrying an axe—he looks remarkably similar to the maimed and panicked leader under assault by Elric, marking him for a brother, perhaps. Indeed, he instantly advances on Elric, joining the host around the guard captain. “Bad day for a charge, good sir!” he shouts, swinging the axe up—it catches him full in the chest, and though the armor helps to lessen the blow, it still dents the metal horribly, cutting into the soft flesh beneath. The bandit leader wrenches the weapon out from the armor, grinning, ready to swing it again.
Amalric immediately decides that this will not do; not at all. In the chaos, he focuses on this new leader, the one with the axe, and speaks his incantations, making a sharp gesture, focusing his will against the man’s own. The bandit’s weak mind unfolds easily before him, and Amalric floods him with pain and agony and weakness—even if it is all in his head. Once-grinning, the man now gives a sharp cry of unexpected pain, one hand grasping his head while he stumbles a step.
Meanwhile, the other magus, Joseph, finishes the careful and precise words of his own spell. He pushes out with his arms, the wind moving with him, rushing out from their backs to blast down the road in a fierce gust. Several bandits stumble a step from the sudden winds as leaves are torn from the trees and dust is kicked up, all from nowhere. Isabeau wheels for a moment, flapping unsteadily, but does not blow away in the sudden wind.
Winds blowing, spears and bolts flying, blades glinting in the afternoon light—the scene is one of chaos, the ground already slashed with the blood of the injured.
- Elric acts first on 26. Technically he’d need a DC 5 Ride check to guide the horse and still act, but he automatically succeeds. Attack @ +4 (he gets an addition +1 for ‘higher ground’): 14, succeeds. He actually deals Str+3 damage, or +6 damage. Bandit Leader’s Toughness Save vs. DC 21: 12, fails by 9. He is Wounded and Stunned; takes no action on his turn, loses dodge bonus, and takes a -2 to defense.
- Jakob attacks @ +2: 8, fails to hit.
- Archers attack from their sniping positions in the trees. Two each target the mounted Covenant guards. Attacks vs. Defense of 8 (No dodge, -2 for surprise): 11, 8, 15, 7; 3 hits. Guardsman 2 takes two shots; first one at Toughness DC 21: 6, fails by 15. He is unconscious and dying. Toughness Save for the second shot: 16, fails by 5, making him stunned (irrelevant) and wounded. Now let’s see if he stays in the saddle: 18, he stays.
Guardsman 3 takes 1 shot. Toughness Save vs. DC 21: 20, fails by 1. He is hurt. - Guardsman 2 makes a Constitution check to attempt to live: 18, he does not die. Yet.
Guardsman 3 follows Elric, attacking another bandit: 6, miss.
Guardsman 1 tries to find one of the snipers; Notice check: 10, not quite enough. He fires at one of the other bandits, instead: 19, hits. Bandit 1 Toughness Save vs. DC 18: 22, succeeds, no damage.
Guardsman 4 also looks for a sniper. Notice check: 12, pass. Attack roll: 9, miss.
Guardsman 5 does the same. Notice check (easier this time): 11, pass. Attack roll: 7, another miss. - Tawno attempts to Inspire Fear in the already-reeling leader. This requires an interaction skill opposed by his Will save. Most of Tawno’s interaction skills have the same modifier, but we’ll call this Perform: Fortune-telling. Tawno @ +6: 22. Bandit Leader: -1. He is well and truly panicked.
- The rest of the bandits counterattack. 1 and 2 attack the still-conscious mounted guardsman: 10, 16; one hit. Toughness Save vs. DC 19: 18, fails by 1. Hurt again.
Bandit 3 goes after Elric: 9, miss.
Bandit 4 throws his spear at Tawno: 18, a hit and threat. Confirms on a 16. Tawno makes a Toughness Save @ +0 vs. DC 23: 16, fails by 6. Tawno is wounded and stunned (no action next turn, no dodge, -2 on defense)
More bandits emerge! (5-8). Bandits 5 and 6 attack Elric: 19, 6; one hit. Elric Toughness Save @ +6 vs DC 19: 14, fails by 5. Elric is stunned and wounded.
Bandits 7 and 8 throw their spears at the guards one the wagon: 14, 17, both hit. Guardsman 1 makes a DC 19 Toughness Save: 10, fails by 9. He is stunned and wounded, like a lot of folks. Guardsman 5 also makes a Toughness Save vs. DC 19: 10 (exact same roll). Stunned and wounded. - Arnaud targets the easiest first: in this case, Bandit 4, who is out in the open without his spear: 20, hits. Bandit 4 Toughness Save vs. DC 17: 7, fails. Technically, having failed by 10, he would be staggered and disabled. However, most of the Bandits are minions, and follow special rules. When they fail a Toughness Save, they are immediately dying. Ergo, Bandit 4 is no dying. Arnaud then heads for better cover (forest?)
- Rupert steals off to the trees and tries to circle around. Stealth check (result hidden).
- Bandit leaders act. One is stunned and can do nothing. The other moves from behind the wagon, also wielding an axe. He joins the collective around Elric. Attack vs. AC 9 (11, no dodge, -2 for stunned): 10, hits. Elric Toughness Save @ +5 (due to wounded) vs. DC 19: 17, fails by 2. He is hurt.
- Amalric targets the apparent leader of the bandits coming from behind the wagon with his psychic blast. No power check needed. Bandit Leader 2 makes a will save vs. DC 16: 3, fails by 13. He is staggered, losing his next action, losing dodge bonus, and -2 penalty to defense. He can only take a standard or move action in subsequent rounds. Amalric also needs to make a will save for fatigue from casting. I’ll use the previous roll: 21, pass. He will take a -1 on future Fatigue rolls for using powers within this scene. (No action for Isabeau?)
- Joseph, finally, conjures up his wind. Winds are currently light. Power check @ +7: 23. This creates a strong wind, its effects listed below. Saving throw for Fatigue vs. DC 11: Natural 1. He is winded, taking a -1 penalty to Strength and Dexterity, and cannot move all out or charge.
The wind is a hindrance for Isabeau. Being tiny, the hawk needs a Fortitude save vs. DC 14 to not be blown away a short distance: 20, piece of cake. For now. - Initiative returns to Elric, who is stunned. You can use a Conviction point to remove this condition and act, if you like. Else it is Jakob’s turn to act.
Initiative: Elric (26), Jakob (20), Bandit Archers (20), Covenant Guards (19), Tawno (17), Bandits (14), Arnaud (12), Rupert (9), Bandit Leaders (7), Amalric & Isabeau (7), Joseph (6).
Description: 5 bandits are clustered around Elric, 4 of them actively attacking him. 2 are attacking the other mounted guardsman (the one not dying). 2 more are in the open, eyeing the wagon—they don’t have spears, but they have clubs at their side that seem a likely substitute. 4 archers sit in the treetops, tricky to spot. The wagon is still a good 20’ from the bandits, but the horses drawing it are looking none to happy, and both men driving the wagon have been impaled with spears. As has Tawno.
The road is some ten feet wide. Trees are all around off the path. The wind is now gusting powerfully (-2 to ranged attacks and notice checks for sound. Tiny creatures knocked down/blown away). Since Rojito specified he wanted the winds blowing against the bandits, the ranged weapon penalty does not apply if attacking the bandits by the wagon (but does for the archers, who are in different directions).
Any questions about what just happened with the Toughness Saves? The concept is fairly straight-forward. Fail by 1-4, you are Hurt (-1 on future saves vs. lethal damage); Fail by 5-9 and you are wounded (-1 on saves vs. lethal/nonlethal) and stunned. Fail by 10-14 and you are staggered and disabled. Fail by 15-19 and you’re unconscious and dying. Fail by 20 or more and you’re instantly dead.
A dying characters makes a DC 10 Constitution check every round. If the fail, they die. If they pass, they are still dying, unless they succeed by 20 or more, at which point they are disabled instead of dying.
(Character Status)
Amalric – Normal
Arnaud – Normal
Elric – Mounted, Hurt (-1 vs. lethal), Wounded (-1), Stunned
Jakob – Normal, Mounted
Joseph –Mounted, Winded (-1 Str/Dex, no charge)
Rupert – Normal
Tawno – Wounded (-1), Stunned
Isabeau – Normal
Guardsman 1 – Driving Cart, Wounded (-1), Stunned
Guardsman 2 – Mounted, Wounded (-2), Unconscious, Dying
Guardsman 3 – Mounted, Hurt (-2 vs. Lethal)
Guardsman 4 – Normal, Walking
Guardsman 5 –Riding Cart, Wounded (-1), Stunned
Bandit Leader – Shaken, Wounded (-1), Stunned, Panicked [in front of Elric]
Bandit 1 – Shaken [attacking Guardsman 3]
Bandit 2 – Shaken [attacking Guardsman 3]
Bandit 3 – Shaken [attacking Elric]
Bandit 4 – Shaken, Unconscious, Dying
Bandit Leader 2 – Normal [attacking Elric]
Bandit 5 – Normal [attacking Elric]
Bandit 6 – Normal [attacking Elric]
Bandit 7 – Normal [in the open; no spears]
Bandit 8 – Normal [in the open; no spears]
Bandit Archer 1 – Normal [west side of road, DC 10 Notice check to target]
Bandit Archer 2 – Normal [west side of road, DC 10 Notice check to target]
Bandit Archer 3 – Normal [east side of road, DC 10 Notice check to target]
Bandit Archer 4 – Normal [east side of road, DC 10 Notice check to target]
]