[DnD] Darkness and Torment
Aegof
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Registered User regular
Darkness and Torment
Screams echo in the darkness. Though there is relative safety in the Shallows, no place beneath the world is without danger. Feral tribes and desperate soldiers wander the Shallows, and Lolth's Drow climb ever higher, albeit rarely in great numbers. The grip the King Who Crawls has on the Shallows is weak, but it is firm enough to keep the Spider Queen hiding in the Deeps. Small torture dens, churches dedicated to the god of Torment, litter the Shallows, each a place of power to the mad, crawling king. Each represents a place of near-safety, for the Drow avoid them and none holds numbers so strong as to be a threat to more than a small party of travellers.
Aeternum Servans has found saftey surrounded by these torture dens. This strange, new coalition of students and soldiers and shards of stone rests and gathers its strength. But the untamed Underdark shifts around them, and soon their rest will end. The army will march together for the first time as their scouts bring news of approaching Drow forces.
The Cast
You've a chance to roleplay a bit if you like. Give me a !Ready when you are.
Screams echo in the darkness. Though there is relative safety in the Shallows, no place beneath the world is without danger. Feral tribes and desperate soldiers wander the Shallows, and Lolth's Drow climb ever higher, albeit rarely in great numbers. The grip the King Who Crawls has on the Shallows is weak, but it is firm enough to keep the Spider Queen hiding in the Deeps. Small torture dens, churches dedicated to the god of Torment, litter the Shallows, each a place of power to the mad, crawling king. Each represents a place of near-safety, for the Drow avoid them and none holds numbers so strong as to be a threat to more than a small party of travellers.
Aeternum Servans has found saftey surrounded by these torture dens. This strange, new coalition of students and soldiers and shards of stone rests and gathers its strength. But the untamed Underdark shifts around them, and soon their rest will end. The army will march together for the first time as their scouts bring news of approaching Drow forces.
Let's talk rules and formatting.
At least one post per day (excepting weekends).
Out of character text should be in Grey, or else in the OOC thread. Keep it to the start and end of your post.
Experience will not be tracked; you'll level when I say you do.
I will provide a map with each battle; you will place yourselves on it in a designated area when you roll initiative.
We will use a colored text scheme in combat: At-Wills in Lime, Encounters in red, Dim Grey for Dailies, and statuses and lasting effects in orange.
Keep a stat block in every combat post, with HP, Defenses, Action Points, Surges, Passive Perception/Insight, bonuses, statuses, and their durations.
At least one post per day (excepting weekends).
Out of character text should be in Grey, or else in the OOC thread. Keep it to the start and end of your post.
Experience will not be tracked; you'll level when I say you do.
I will provide a map with each battle; you will place yourselves on it in a designated area when you roll initiative.
We will use a colored text scheme in combat: At-Wills in Lime, Encounters in red, Dim Grey for Dailies, and statuses and lasting effects in orange.
Keep a stat block in every combat post, with HP, Defenses, Action Points, Surges, Passive Perception/Insight, bonuses, statuses, and their durations.
The Cast
Ander's Army
The Astral Reticulum
The Clockwork Crusaders
Oakhammer Tribe
The College Clandestine
Captain Mareka and the Warforged League
The Astral Reticulum
The Clockwork Crusaders
Oakhammer Tribe
The College Clandestine
Captain Mareka and the Warforged League
You've a chance to roleplay a bit if you like. Give me a !Ready when you are.
I'm providing ambience.
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Jansen can be found atop a rock outcropping overlooking his and the current area. From the natural lights of the current caverns as well as the many individual lights, both magical and mundane, illuminating each camp in turn he idly glances at the resting arrangement of forces, his mind turning with idle thoughts of efficient allocation and positioning of troops. His sight aided by a trusty sight-enhancing-long-range-telescopic-viewer passes over the front-line, a variety of metal constructs standing in place in a long row ahead of the rest of the forces, alert for any incursions in the night. His inquisitive mind turning to other things for the moment, he hops down from his perch, approaching a nearby table and tapping on a strange cylindrical-horn-like object before speaking into it, his voice travelling to any nearby captains willing to respond, "Some caverns these are, not even any edible nettles! Well...none that my folks can find yet and muster up the courage to eat without fearing being instantly struck dead by some calamitous Underdark malady. The very earth itself seems to have it in for us down here and I've always wondered if we could...
...Oh right, where was I. How goes the preparations? Any specifics of these approaching forces we're to face? Quite excited to try and test out some of my latest constructions!"
Casting Battlefield Elocution through the [strike]microphone[/strike] cylindrical-horn-like object.
Currently DMing: None
Characters
[5e] Dural Melairkyn - AC 18 | HP 40 | Melee +5/1d8+3 | Spell +4/DC 12
* * * * *
Derin turns toward the source of Jan's voice. "Huh, it's that gnome! He seems like an alright sort. 'Course, anyone down here'd who doesn't want to kill us'd be..." He turns and regards the empty spot where Kalac had been moments before. "...good company." A faint smell of brimstone and a drifting hint of ash speak to the tiefling's disappearance.
Derin exhales and half-shrugs, continuing his patrol. The College's temporary camp is mobilizing. While the bustling of the students in no way approximated the efficiency of the shardminds and warforged, or even the practiced routines of the performers-turned-soldiers, Derin notes that the preparations were taking on a certain familiarity. He isn't sure that's a good thing.
Nearby, a few spellcasters in stained robes hurriedly pack up an experimental attempt to grow plants in the lightless environment of the Underdark. Beyond them, a bleak cityscape stretches for eternity and then flickers into nothingness as a few illusionists clap each other on the back. Barrels of residuum are carefully loaded onto wagons by porters, the magical reagent sparkling even in the dim cavern. It was these men who Derin sometimes found himself feeling the most sympathy for. They'd been mere cleaning staff Above... but like all members of the College, they bore Abraxas' mark. Abraxas. Derin clenched his fist. Ioun, I hope he has a plan.
* * * * *
As the gnome's voice boomed across the cavern, the Headmaster's eyes opened. He blinked, lizard-slow, the brilliant green orbs deep in their sockets. Abraxas folded his hands, his fingers sliding over a ring that bore the symbol of the Lord of the Nine. "I did as you asked." His voice, the hush of falling snow. "I mustered them against the Drow, in Your Name. Do not allow their sacrifice to be in vain. Speak to me...what must we do?" The Headmaster stood there and listened, and after a time he was gone.
Perception (scouting) 23
Insight (scouting?) 20
FYI Passive Perception is 25. Passive Insight is 27
Amusingly, it was during one such unfortunate storm that this idea hit me. Literally. A lightning strike had just roasted a few pigeons when another one struck the mast of our ship, knocking off bits of metal and wood. Well, one such piece of pipe struck me straight on the head, sending me reeling. But when I glanced at the offending pipe, I noticed it was hollow. This got my mind thinking...if I could channel some magic straight through a hollow tube-like thing and have it naturally amplified and focused...voila! Amazing isn't it?" Several minutes having passed since the question was asked, Jansen simply stands obliviously with a quite satisfied smile on his face waiting for any further questions or comments on his tale.
Meanwhile, from the front, several large stationary iron statues raise up, a large glass eye implanted at the end. Directing themselves towards the oncoming drow in a semi-circular pattern to cover as much forward ground as possible with their sight, they go through their periodic routine of sweeping back and forth for several minutes, gathering any and all information possible that can reach them from the dark underground caverns. As their gears churn and they noisily turn back and forth, an explosion rocks a small section of the gnomish front as a stream of colourful fireworks blast up, temporarily illuminating the area with images of multicoloured dragons, apples, stars, and an image of what several gnomes would swear is a depiction of an upside-down spider about to be impaled by a grizzly bear. Officers quickly come by and scold the offending gnomish artisan who, rumour has it, apparently let the animated fireworks barrels walk too close to a nearby heating-construct which mistook them for an unlit furnace.
Perception: 1d20+9=23
Also !Ready, though I'll keep responding ICly, at least until tomorrow when I hit the road.
Currently DMing: None
Characters
[5e] Dural Melairkyn - AC 18 | HP 40 | Melee +5/1d8+3 | Spell +4/DC 12
Reticulum
"The SPIDER'S thralls COME. They MATCH our NUMBERS. They MAY not INTEND to JOIN battle WITH us. THE crippled ONES may BE their DESTINATION. We WOULD not SUFFER them TO live, IF you WILL join WITH us. LET our WRATH be UPON them."
!Ready
"I dun' know whadda Aeternum Servans is, but this is the mos' fun I had all year!"
"Why do all these people put their faith in these gods? I rely on my own strength, bwahaha!"
"*hic* Whazziz rock man doing here anyway?"
The main camp is located more near the center of the coalition's forces and consists mostly of a crudely build feasting hall in front of an enormous roaring bonfire. It has very few permanent residents, but it's location and constant revelry ensure it is constantly packed full, regardless. Iben Malic, former-tactician for a war effort long since destroyed in the Underdark, was recently rescued by this amalgamated tribe and spends his days here chronicling the efforts of the tribe and Aeternum Servans as a whole. It is here where you also find Ologeon Troggsbane (formerly Peak-Climber), the nominal leader of Oakhammer, and his scion Thogeon Peak-Climber.
Just some flavor for now. Trying to get an image across of this great camp of our coalition surrounded by little barbarian camps.
!Ready
Whacking his mount on the site of its head, 'Jim' groans into motion, a dozen of the constructs around it following in lockstep. The rest of the army remain unmoving in disciplined lines while a few gnomes weave their way between them, watching for any signs of repair.
Heading up towards the main Oakhammer camp, Mareka stands shouting in front of the feasting hall. "Troggsbane! Rouse your mob! It's time to dispense some Justice!". Not waiting for a response, Mareka's constructs turn as one and head back to join the others. Patting Sergeant Jim on the side of his helmet, Mareka smiles in anticipation. "Oh yes, my boy. It's time."
!Ready
Play with me on Steam
Abraxus cracked one of his emerald eyes open. "By all means, Miss Trin..."
The tiefling huffed and vanished. Abraxus' eye drifted closed again.
* * * * *
Devin nearly toppled into a rolling case of arcane chemicals when Kalac reappeared with her characteristic suddenness. "The word's come down from on high. Be careful out there." She clapped him on the shoulder gamely. Still unsteady from her apparition, Devin reeled from the blow. Devin steadied himself, grinned, and tried to return the blow, but Kalac simply laughed and was five feet to the left.
"You better watch out yourself," Devin panted. "One of these days..." He shook his fist.
!Ready
As he stands and watches a particularly exhilarating contest between two knife throwers, a messenger races up and delivers news that an army of Drow approaches. Not wanting to waste any time, Ander let's out a call to the camp, "Play time's over, enemies draw near! Be ready to move within the hour!"
Within minutes, the leaders of the various troupes present are assembled around him to share scouting reports and to form a plan of action. "It's time to see what this alliance is capable of. Everyone go see to your people, I want us mobile now." As everyone splits off to get things ready, Anders mutters to himself " And hey, if enough of us survive, I've got some ideas for turning whatever's left of Aeternum Servans into the greatest show on earth."
With the practiced efficiency of a people used to life on the road, the camp is broken down and the fighting forces prepared to move out in what seems far too short a time for that much activity.
!Ready
The black is solid rock from the ground to the ceiling.
The T symbols represent torture dens--these are destroyed if they get attacked, and act as a flanker for anyone.
The grey line is a cliff two squares in height. The Ds are the lower side.
Passage through the tunnels requires squeezing.
His mount turns its head 180 degrees to look at him, "Acknowledged", before turning back with the others to await the enemy's response.
Initiative: 1d20+7 17
Starting position: C4
Play with me on Steam
Initiative: 2#1d20+8 25 13 (Danger Sense means I roll initiative twice and take the higher roll.)
Starting position: D5
Initiative: 1d20+5 22 Start in G5
Are we protecting the torture dens here? I would just as soon let them be destroyed.
77/77HP 9/9Surges 24AC/21Fort/23Ref/26Will 1AP Resist 10 Psychic 25PP 27PI
Initiative: 1d20+16=33
Start in D8.
The mechanical legions under Steamsprocket's command clank and shudder into position.
Initiative: 1d20+9=18
Start in G8.
Initiative: 1d20+11=29
Start in E5.
Initiative
:arrow:29 Ander- HP 76/76; AC 28; Fort 21; Ref 29; Will 24; AP 1
---
27 Elf Force B- HP 164; AC 23; Fort 21; Reflex 24; Will 23
---
25 Oakhammer- HP 99/99; AC 25; Fort 28; Ref 25; Will 22; AP 1
22 Reticulum- HP 77/77; AC 24; Fort 21; Ref 23; Will 26; AP 1
---
22 Eladrin Force A- HP 114; AC 25; Fort 23; Reflex 24; Will 23
---
18 Crusaders
17 Mareka
---
9 Eladrin Force C- HP 117; AC 27; Fort 24; Reflex 20; Will 22
Map
The black is solid rock from the ground to the ceiling.
The T symbols represent torture dens--these are destroyed if they get attacked, and act as a flanker for anyone.
The grey line is a cliff two squares in height. The Ds are the lower side.
Passage through the tunnels requires squeezing.
The press-ganged students behind him ooh'd and aah'd. Devin merely rolled his eyes and walked through the wrought-iron gates, into the illusionists' campsite.
Devin throws wide the doors of the mansion with a bang. Inexplicably, they open into a richly appointed study. The shelves lining the walls of the room are stuffed with books, but are also home to reassembled skeletons, crystal orbs, and other curiosities. A stuffed alligator hung from the ceiling. Three velvet armchairs faced him, their backs to a roaring hearth.
"Decorum, Mister Maret," drones a voice from the lefthand chair. A figure rises from it, removing a pipe from his mouth. "Appearances are important." Professor Sigma Frode, Head of Arcane Dissembling, releases a smoky exhalation that briefly appears to be a wagging finger before dissipating. He brushes a speck of ash from his maroon smoking jacket.
"Sorry to disturb you, Professor," Devin says as politely as he can manage. "But the college has need of you. Drow forces have been sighted to the north."
"Drow?!" A high-pitched voice squeaks with excitement. A small, rotund figure bounces from the right armchair, dressed in a burgundy bathrobe. "Don't worry, Devin, we've got just the thing. The three of us've been working it up. I call it--The Maze of Mirrors! How it works--those who succumb to the spell believe they're trapped in a, uh, well..."
"Maze of mirrors?" asks Devin.
"Precisely!" Professor Hob beams.
"Lucky's description is a bit inaccurate," cuts in Frode. "What the magic does, in fact, is make the subjects confront a hostile "inner mind," or subconscious, as I call it, causing them to temporarily be paralyzed by indecision--"
Frode, in turn, iss cut off by the third armchair occupant, who waves his hand imperiously. "We can't truly know what effect it has on the minds of its victims. The minds of others are unknowable, and any inference we could make would merely be an analogy to our own experience!" Professor Deckard blinks. "Also, we haven't tested it yet."
"Gentemen!" Devin bellows. The three faculty members fell silent, probably more out of indignation than anything. "This is your opportunity. Now, I've brought a number of students who are more than willing to help you with the necessary preparations." The students behind him shuffle forward nervously.
The three illusionists scrutinize them, and Frode nods. "They'll do." He snaps his fingers, and the study dissolves, revealing a sparse tent. Frode and Deckard's smoking jackets give way to the blue robes of the College faculty. Hob, however, is still dressed in a bathrobe.
"Break the chalk out, people," Devin orders as he turned to walk away.
"You heard him," Frode intones. "I need three Coyote-class circles inscribed. Make them perfect." He flicked his fingers at the gaggle of students, who immediately began fumbling about.
The three illusionists stand, silently observing the bustle around them. Finally, Hob speaks up. "I suppose we'll have to test it on ourselves to settle the question of how it works."
"Don't be ridiculous," sneers Frode.
"We have students for that."
Minor: Mystical Debris. E13 is difficult terrain until the end of the encounter.
Standard: Maze of Mirrors centered on B2.
vs. A 1d20+16=25, hit!
vs. B 1d20+16=17, miss!
vs. C 1d20+16=29, hit!
A and C are immobilized and take a -6 penalty to attack rolls until the end of the College's next turn.
The College Clandestine
HP 62/62
Surges 7/7
25 AC
20 Fort
25 Will
25 Reflex
Action Points: 1
Passive Insight & Perception: 18
"Perfect, while they're pinned down, let's move out and see what we can do about that group bringing up the rear." With this, Ander gives the orders for the army to move into position, showing off their ability to move about with impunity.
The forces surge ahead, passing right through one of the intervening Drow forces on the way, using their agility and acrobatic prowess to completely avoid conflict with the group as they pass it by. As they close, Ander's army shows that it isn't above a bit of dirty fighting as they set about blinding their opponent.
Standard: Sand in the Eyes vs. B (CA due to First Strike)
d20+21=32 vs. Reflex, hit!
1d4+11=15 damage!
B is blinded until the end of my next turn.
Sneak Attack: 3d8+5=18 damage!
HP: 76/76 | HS: 8/8 | AC: 28 | Fort: 21 | Ref: 29 | Will: 24 | AP: 1
Aim: 1d3 3 = B2
Standard: Blades vs AC: 1d20+15-5 30 Critical Hit
2d8+9 25 damage
Minor: Force Retreat vs. AC: 1d20+17-5 31 Hit
2d8+6 17 damage, Ander's Army is pushed to B3
...Those were some really good rolls to hit. Turn's not done, though!
Minor: Spider's Light
Creates a close burst 2 zone of darkness, totally obscuring every square within and blocking line of sight.
Initiative
Ander- HP 34/76; AC 28; Fort 21; Ref 29; Will 24; AP 1 Bloodied, Total Concealment
---
Elf Force B- HP 131/164; AC 23; Fort 21; Reflex 24; Will 23 Blinded, Total Concealment
---
:arrow:Oakhammer- HP 99/99; AC 25; Fort 28; Ref 25; Will 22; AP 1
:arrow:Reticulum- HP 77/77; AC 24; Fort 21; Ref 23; Will 26; AP 1
---
Eladrin Force A- HP 114; AC 25; Fort 23; Reflex 24; Will 23 Immobilized, -6 to attack, Total Concealment
---
Crusaders
Mareka
---
Eladrin Force C- HP 117; AC 27; Fort 24; Reflex 20; Will 22 Immobilized, -6 to attack, Total Concealment
Map
Och, and I thought we were fast, thinks Thogeon Peak-Climber as he grabs his fullblade and joins the ranks. "Gotta keep a tight formation, eh lads?" he yells as he pushes his way to the front of the horde. This is something of a joke, as the tribe's only strategy was to put their strongest men in front and attack.
Named Men up front, everyone else in the back. And I'm only up here because I've got the old man's former name.
The 'old man' Olgeon was walking down the front line, saluting and blessing warriors, giving them sips from his wineskin while Ander's men begin their precise assault. He looks every bit the 'barbarian king' these city people expect him to be. They don't understand our equality and we're going to lose it ourselves if we keep mingling with them! He's taken on the bearing but we still fight like animals while our allies have turned combat into an art.
While the horde lined up, Thogeon continued to admire the way the civilized men stayed focused and combined their efforts in conditions that force the savage people into a fury.
"Never forget, men, that we fight for the honor of our ancestors! ATTA-"
Olgeon's speech is cut off by his own shock as he witnesses an impossible darkness sweep across the battlefield and envelop their allies. Olgeon's body tenses as he starts to rush forward, but he is stopped by the firm yet gentle grasp of Iben Malic on his shoulder. The aged barbarian turns and glares at him, eyes blazing.
"What, damn you! Those men are going to die, we have to fight!"
"And fight we shall! I can already see the primal spirit rising to your surface, your eyes are mad! We will use this rage! But look," he points at the expanding black cloud, "at that."
The strange, dark man disturbed Olgeon in a way he was unfamiliar with. Those who can plot are difficult for a barbarian to understand, but he had to admit that Iben's advice had been of great value when they needed to enter this alliance. Whether he liked it or not, Iben was his right-hand man. Olgeon turned to look at the darkness.
"What is your plan, Iben?"
"Simple: we walk right into their midst and slaughter them all. I saw the look on their faces when the cloud appeared, I did. I doubt their eyes can pierce that veil any better than your's or mine. If we tighten the ranks, we can file right past them and unleash your rage against them all!"
"Where is that boy?"
Olgeon was worried. The attack had gone better than he cared to admit, the forces coming down on all their enemies as a storm of death. Many of the men were worked up past the point of being able to take orders anymore and stalking the enemy forces on their own doing limited skirmishes. Let them! We are never more whole than when we connect with the spirits in battle.
But Thogeon's unit had not retuned yet. None of them.
"Damn it, I'm going to find him Iben."
"I've already assembled a team of our most formidable Named Men," said the tactician with a chuckle, "and sent raiding teams to disrupt any reinforcements they might send to get in our way." Olgeon wanted to punch the smug bastard in the nose. He took the Named Men and moved instead.
It wasn't long before they discovered what had happened. Thogeon had overextended his unit and they were surrounded on all sides by elves. Several barbarians lay dead in the ground and Olgeon Troggbane's rage once again took over and Iben wasn't here to stop him. They tore through the enemy ranks effortlessly. "Boy, let's go!"
It was then that Olgeon noticed the arrow in his son's side. "Father," called a weak voice and Olgeon's rage was complete. His next recollection is of crossing back into their battle camp, dragging his unconscious son behind him. "Dig the trenches deeper! Keep disrupting their scouts, I don't want any of those damn elves knowing where we are camping! It's going to be a long night, men, and I don't want my son to die in this pit!"
Iben smiles.
Oakhammer: Move to B2, 5 damage, spent 1 AP, raging, and resist 10 until the end of my next turn
Eladrin Force A: 6 damage and ongoing 5 damage (save ends)
Elf Force B: 63 damage and ongoing 5 damage (save ends)
Elf Force C: 26 damage and ongoing 5 damage (save ends)
Move: B2. Should be able to do it in such a way that I enter Total Concealment and don't provoke OA.
Standard: Rage of the Crimson Hurricane vs AC (close burst 1 ignores Total Concealment)
vs A: 1d20+18 20 MISS! 20 damage
vs B: 1d20+20 38 HIT! (CA due to blind)
vs C: 1d20+18 31 HIT!
Each target takes ongoing 5 damage (save ends).
Oakhammer enters the Rage of the Crimson Hurricane. The first time they hit an enemy with a primal melee power each turn, each enemy adjacent to them after the attack is resolved takes damage equal to their STR modifier (+6).
ACTION POINT!
Standard: Desperate Fury vs Elf Force B AC
1d20+17 18 CRITICAL FAIL! The power let's me take 5 damage to reroll the attack.
1d20+17 23 (-3 attack from Total Concealment after CA)
2d12+17 35+2 (Deadly Rage) = 37
No Action: Each enemy adjacent to me takes 6 damage from my Crimson Hurricane Rage.
No action: Heroic Action (Paragon Path Feature) - When I spend an action point to take an extra action, I gain resist 10 until the end of my next turn.
Lot of stuff and my rolling was done in a crappy fashion so lemme know if you notice anything strange. I know I attributed the roll to the wrong target in one box and forgot to include the campaign in another. I'm not trying to cheat; I just suck.
HP: 94/99 | HS: 10/10 | AC: 25 | Fort: 28 | Ref: 25 | Will: 22 | AP: 0 | MS: 0
Raging | Resist 10 until end of next turn.
Perception vs Spider's Light: 1d20+15 21
But it helps?
Move to F5; Summon SC to B3
The many focus their will in the cloud of artificial darkness. For those that can see through the black, a shardmind 300 meters tall coalesces from shadow. It then splits into two and leaps into the ranks of the elves, kicking it's soldiers through the air and flinging sharp shards of crystals in all directions.
Twin Panthers 1st Attack vs B's Reflex: 1d20+14+4+1 24 Miss?
Twin Panthers 2nd attack vs B's Reflex: 1d20+14+4+1 21 Miss!
But the elves recognize the spirit's nature and deny it. Taking faith in their mistress.
Spaces adjacent SC are difficult terrain for enemies.
Enemies adjacent SC grant CA from melee until EOMNT
Allies that start a turn adjacent to SC can shift 1 as free action
If my perception cancels out the total concealment, then the first hits, since it ties after the bonus from it being bloodied and Tactician's Mail. Then again I seem to consistently roll under my passive perception, and I am guessing the stealth of B is more than 11 even with CA it from being blinded.
77/77HP 9/9Surges 24AC/21Fort/23Ref/26Will 1AP Resist 10 Psychic 25PP 27PI
Another wall of impenetrable darkness falls, this time on the College Clandestine.
College
Raid vs. College's AC: 1d20+16-6 36 Critical Hit
3d6+9 27 damage.
The College has 4 ongoing poison damage (save ends) and 5 ongoing damage and Total Concealment (save ends both)
Initiative
Corrected the HP of Ander's Army and Oakhammer, to correct a mistake and let Oakhammer's resistance eat his power's damage.
Ander- HP 76/76; AC 28; Fort 21; Ref 29; Will 24; AP 1 Total Concealment
---
Elf Force B- HP 63/164; AC 23; Fort 21; Reflex 24; Will 23 Blinded, Total Concealment, ongoing damage 5 (save ends), Bloodied
---
Oakhammer- HP 99/99; AC 25; Fort 28; Ref 25; Will 22; AP 0 Total Concealment, Raging, resist 10 all
Reticulum- HP 77/77; AC 24; Fort 21; Ref 23; Will 26; AP 1
---
Eladrin Force A- HP 103/114; AC 25; Fort 23; Reflex 24; Will 23 Immobilized, -6 to attack, Total Concealment, ongoing damage 5 (save ends)
---
Crusaders
Mareka
---
Eladrin Force C- HP 91/117; AC 27; Fort 24; Reflex 20; Will 22 Immobilized, -6 to attack, Total Concealment, ongoing 5 damage (save ends)
Map
Second Logician Therin was having a Bad Day. It started the evening prior when in the haste to get everything packed and moving, several of his new experiments were inadvertently crushed as one of the piloted wagons trampled over his equipment. So much for several recent weeks of careful tinkering and improvement, many modifications which weren't even recorded to his blueprints yet! And to cap off the day, the reports from the front were not that encouraging: While most of the floating sentries keeping an eye on each component army of the alliance were reporting minimal or non-existent losses, the ones that returned from the Eladrin College were relaying stories of intense fighting and wounded mages. Naturally, Therin was starting to get a headache, as the College's position was on the other side of an until-now-quite-useful cliff, necessitating an entire change of direction to intercept. However, they were already on the move west, and turning around near a thousand walking components and their wagons was not something he was fond of doing on short notice. Several fights with a number of lieutenants later and the request for redeployment was sent up the chain of the command and promptly approved. "I don't care if you've spent the last few hours finally getting the calibrations right," he yelled to at his current count likely the twelfth mammoth-wagon driver in the past half-hour, "We're turning this army around and you need to make sure everyone on the ground isn't going to get crushed by your damn thing's legs!" His message delivered he had learned after perhaps the fifth such outburst that now was the opportune time to move on to the next one, as the cursing proceeded in earnest behind him.
It took several hours, but he got his segment of the army repositioned, checking regularly with other officers to ensure everyone was set back up. Word had it that one of the wagons on the other side of the camp had seized up in the realignment, having to be unpacked and left behind until time could be taken to repair the problem. Therin uttered a prayer to the nameless Gods of metalworking that this did not occur on his side of the field, as the trip down the steep embankments caused enough worry of out-of-control barrels of explosives getting loose. Keeping in constant check of the status of the mages, his troops were now hard at work assembling hundreds of dive bombers for an upcoming operation. Tiny mechanical fliers, each automated creation contained an undercarriage specially fitted to house a bucket sized glass sphere. Extremely fragile, the spheres were filled with a secret alchemical formula, known only to quickly nit up wounds and rejuvenate the energy of anyone it happened to come in contact with. Several had already been broken in transit, but the ease of their creation was such that Therin was confident he'd have enough supply for at least a second run, if not more if he could be frugal with their use. Now, some had said that in field tests the actual breaking of the glass caused more damage than the restorative elixir actually aided, but he'd dismissed those safety reports a while back as baseless criticism. Jansen himself had personally overseen their development and deployment for use, and besides, as long as it didn't kill you on contact it would then heal you right back up afterwards!
Regardless, soon enough the hordes of fliers took to the air, flying straight over the mages' presumed position. The survey bots had brought back distressing news of a clinging darkness, preventing completely accurate assessments of the injured and extent of the fighting. Given its lack of size, however, tacticians figured that carpet-bombing the entire affected area would ensure that enough of the Mages' would be subject to the healing orbs as to do their job properly. On schedule, the bombers released their crystal orbs over the unsuspecting, blinded eladrin. While the sentries took their time reporting the results, determining the success of the operation was quite difficult as a number of screams following sphere impacts could not be reliably discerned as to whether they came from fighting or as a result of being hit by a healing bomb.
"I want them aimed at a high enough angle to ensure they reach their target," was yelled in a high shrill voice by Siege Master Fillia as she paced along the front of a busy line of workers assembling a number of cannons at the front of the Crusaders' battle line, "They can't move all that far and will fall apart if they try, so we must make sure we blanket the enemy with as many as possible to ensure maximum saturation!" Fillia was unsure of the plan; much like the earlier operation to assist=bomb the College allies, front line reports had indicated an even larger cloud of darkness obscuring the entire enemy force from view. As such, the prospect of blindly firing into the crowd and hoping for the best was...ill advised. On the other hand, she had to admire the versatile creations: perhaps half the size of a gnome, dozens could be fit into each modified-cannon and launched over quite a distance. Upon landing, they would unfurl and, for as long as their limited magically-powered-source-stones could hold out, strike at anything nearby registering as hostile.
And so, as the bombs continued to rain down upon the unsuspecting Eladrin with attached paper messages of We're Sorry If it Stings!, You'll Feel Better In the Morning, and This Is For Your Own Good, more and more cannons were wheeled and prepared in relative safety. As aim was finally established, Fillia gave them a final once-over before finally yelling in a loud voice, "FIRE!" For perhaps the next fifteen minutes, pounding blast upon pounding blast echoed along the front of the gnomish-army as hundreds of cannons shot their tiny creations across the underground cavern towards the front. It took some time, but as members' of Anders' armies looked behind them some time later, all that could be seen in the reflected glow of cavern light was what seen like...metal rain heading straight towards them. Impacting relatively softly on the ground, countless numbers of tiny metal soldiers rolled unceremoniously across the plain, spreading out in a massive area both inside and outside the supernaturally darkened tunnel. For each metal projectile it took only a few seconds after rolling to a stop before the automatons unfurled themselves into an upright position and constantly rotating around to search for nearby enemies. While a number had simply disintegrated upon impacting the cavern's floor, enough remaining to comfortably blanket the ground and hopefully harass the hell out of some Drow.
Minor Action: Healing Infusion (Curative Admixture) on The College Clandestine. The College is healed for 23 hp.
Standard Action: Clockwork Soldiers centred on B3. The Area Burst 2 creates a zone of difficult terrain that lasts until the end of my next turn. Any enemy that starts its turn within the zone is subjected to an attack: +14 vs. Reflex / 1d8+8 damage, and the target is slowed until the end of its next turn.
Clockwork Crusaders - HP 76/76; AC 25; F 20, R 23, W 24 [AP: 1 / HS: 8/8 / Ins: 19, Per: 19]
*+5 saving throws against illusions
*Anytime that an ally uses a magic item's daily power, that ally gains 11 temporary hit points
Currently DMing: None
Characters
[5e] Dural Melairkyn - AC 18 | HP 40 | Melee +5/1d8+3 | Spell +4/DC 12
He spots a young tribesman left behind in the rush, nursing a hangover and some bruises from rough-housing the night before and calls his constructs to a halt. "You! Scofflaw! The call to arms has been issued." The youth looks around, dazed, as the warforged surround him. "Deriliction of duty in a time of war is an offence that is punishable by de..".
He pauses for a moment as the sounds of battle reach his ears and Sergeant Jim turns to watch as curtains of darkness descend over the cavern and his mount turns to watch. "What in the hells? Turn back around you damnable machine!". He hears scrambling behind him and when he finally wrestles Jim back under control, the tribesman has made his escape. "Bah! You'll not get far! Issue a warrant! It appears we're needed elsewhere though."
****
Finally arriving at the front, Mareka looked about in frustration. Left to their own devices, his army had somehow gotten the idea that forming a line across the threshold of the darkness and wildly swinging hammers into the black was a productive use of time. He was, however, quite pleased with his army's other actions. As hammers flailed in futile fury against the darkness, his constructs as one began to recite the Grern convention on the prohibition of the use of darkness in warfare against light dependent creatures.
After waiting several hours for the recitation to complete, Mareka smiled in the knowledge that the enemy knew how wrong they were and would no doubt bring themselves to surrender soon. Finally walking down the line, he shouted out. "Quit that swinging boys. Time to head into the black and bring those creatures to trail". Turning as one, his army advanced into the darkness.
Brash Strike vs AC - Army A: 1d20+18-5 21 1d10+12 19
- miss, but he's marked till eont.
Move: shift to C3
Play with me on Steam
Blades of Darkness vs. Mareka's AC: 1d20+16-6+4 15 Miss (a bunch of criticals and then a natural 1. Balance.)
Initiative
:arrow:Ander- HP 76/76; AC 28; Fort 21; Ref 29; Will 24; AP 1 Total Concealment
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Elf Force B- HP 63/164; AC 23; Fort 21; Ref 24; Will 23 Blinded, Total Concealment, ongoing damage 5 (save ends), Bloodied
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Oakhammer- HP 99/99; AC 25; Fort 28; Ref 25; Will 22; AP 0 Total Concealment, Raging, resist 10 all
Reticulum- HP 77/77; AC 24; Fort 21; Ref 23; Will 26; AP 1
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Eladrin Force A- HP 103/114; AC 25; Fort 23; Ref 24; Will 23 Immobilized, -6 to attack, Total Concealment, ongoing damage 5 (save ends), Marked
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Crusaders- HP 76/76; AC 25; Fort 20; Ref 23; Will 24; AP: 1
Mareka- HP 94/94; AC 29; Fort 25; Ref 21; Will 22; AP 1 Total Concealment
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Eladrin Force C- HP 75/117; AC 27; Fort 24; Reflex 20; Will 22 Immobilized, -6 to attack, Total Concealment, ongoing 5 damage (save ends), Slowed
Map
The darkness seems to pulse with Lolth's power, violent and almost solid. Every force within is pushed and shoved and dragged, as if caught in webs or hounded by massive hairy arachnid legs.
Meanwhile, more drow approach from the south, looking weary and perhaps a bit confused.
Moving Darkness vs Reflex: 4#1d20+14+4
Ander's 24 Miss
Oakhammer 33 Hit
Reticulum's SC26 Hit?
Mareka 31 Hit
2d6+6 16 radiant damage, and every target is shifted two squares.
Initiative
Eladrin Force D- HP 117/117; AC 27; Fort 24; Reflex 20; Will 22
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:arrow:College- HP 58/62; AC 25; Fort 20; Ref 25; Will 25; AP 1 4 ongoing poison damage (save ends), 5 ongoing damage and Total Concealment (save ends both)
:arrow:Ander- HP 76/76; AC 28; Fort 21; Ref 29; Will 24; AP 1 Total Concealment
:arrow:Oakhammer- HP 93/99; AC 25; Fort 28; Ref 25; Will 22; AP 0 Total Concealment, Raging, resist 10 all
:arrow:Reticulum- HP 77/77; AC 24; Fort 21; Ref 23; Will 26; AP 1
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Eladrin Force A- HP 103/114; AC 25; Fort 23; Ref 24; Will 23 Total Concealment, ongoing damage 5 (save ends), Marked
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Crusaders- HP 60/76; AC 25; Fort 20; Ref 23; Will 24; AP: 1
Mareka- HP 78/94; AC 29; Fort 25; Ref 21; Will 22; AP 1
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Eladrin Force C- HP 75/117; AC 27; Fort 24; Reflex 20; Will 22 Total Concealment, ongoing 5 damage (save ends), Slowed
Map
Olgeon picks himself up, unable to understand what had just happened. They had been hit suddenly and forced into a retreat. They would have been scattered and lost if it hadn't been for the chieftain Stoneroot and his men holding off those unseen enemies....
"I won't let it be in vain, friend," muttered the haggard warlord to himself. "You ready for another fight, son?"
Thogeon peered out of the darkness as best he could. "Look like more of them down there, eh? Better to fight something we can see..."
"Men, gather! We go south," Olgeon yells, adding in a low-tone, "Get this darkness behind us. The civilized folk seem to know what they are doing up here."
Standard: Charge to 4H w/ Howling Strike vs Eladrin D AC:
1d20+20 27 HIT!
1d12+3d6+17 35 + 6 (Rage effect) = 41
(Attack bonus: +1 charge; +1 Reckless Charge feat
Damage bonus: +2 Deadly Rage feat; +2 Powerful Charge feat; +1d6 Horned Helm)
HP: 93/99 | HS: 10/10 | AC: 25 (23) | Fort: 28 | Ref: 25 | Will: 22 | AP: | MS: 0
-2 AC | Raging
Devin didn't need to turn. The scent of brimstone cued him to his interlocuter.
"Looks like Drow forces teleported directly into the camp. We were taken completely by surprise. They managed to conjure some sort of miniature darkness cloud, like the one the other armies disappeared into." Devin shook his head. "We were--I was completely unprepared. Thank god the gnomes were nearby; their curative elixirs saved a lot of lives today. Not enough, though."
"You can't anticipate everything, Devin," Kalac said, her brash tone uncharacteristically softened. "Anyway, I'm plenty grateful to the gnomes as well, but I think their delivery methods could use a little work." The tiefling pulled a shard of glass from her frizzy hair and cast it away.
"Well, we've got other problems. The darkness conjured by the Drow is growing. Anders, Mareka, and the Oakhammers can't even see where the Drow are, let alone engage their forces."
Kalac pursed her lips. "Well, the illusionists were helpful with their little mirror trick--nice work, by the way--why don't I see if I can't get them to get together a little something to entice the Drow out of their little hidey-hole?"
Devin winced. "Do I have to go back there?"
"Say no more!" Kalac grinned. "I'll talk to the big bad professors for you. Why don't you go talk to Conjuration? I had them working on a little side project, creating some obstacles to block off reinforcements from the other tunnels. See how that's going."
"You got it, boss." He saluted smartly. Kalac laughed her tinkling laugh and vanished.
Standard: Visions of Avarice, burst 1 centered on F4.
Minor: Visions of Avarice attack.
vs. A 1d20+16=19, miss
vs. B 1d20+16=36, hit
vs. C 1d20+16=22, hit
vs. D 1d20+16=32, hit
B, C, and D are pulled 3 squares toward the zone. If they end within the zone, they are immobilized, save ends (and take a -2 penalty to saving throws thanks to Spell Focus). Since I know where D is, I'll go ahead and say D is pulled to G4 and immobilized (save ends).
Save vs. poison 1d20=19, success!
Save vs. concealment and ongoing damage, 1d20=20, success!
Eladrin Force D- HP 76/117; AC 27; Fort 24; Reflex 20; Will 22 Immobilized (save ends, -2 penalty to saves)
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College- HP 49/62; AC 25; Fort 20; Ref 25; Will 25; AP 1
Ander- HP 76/76; AC 28; Fort 21; Ref 29; Will 24; AP 1 Total Concealment
Oakhammer- HP 93/99; AC 25; Fort 28; Ref 25; Will 22; AP 0 Total Concealment, Raging, resist 10 all
Reticulum- HP 77/77; AC 24; Fort 21; Ref 23; Will 26; AP 1
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Eladrin Force A- HP 103/114; AC 25; Fort 23; Ref 24; Will 23 Total Concealment, ongoing damage 5 (save ends), Marked
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Crusaders- HP 60/76; AC 25; Fort 20; Ref 23; Will 24; AP: 1
Mareka- HP 78/94; AC 29; Fort 25; Ref 21; Will 22; AP 1
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Eladrin Force C- HP 75/117; AC 27; Fort 24; Reflex 20; Will 22 Total Concealment, ongoing 5 damage (save ends), Slowed, Immobilized (save ends, -2 penalty to saves)
"It's a damn good thing we've got these crystal chaps on our side, this would be a bit more dodgy if we weren't getting troop movements relayed straight into our heads."
As Ander's Army moves into position, they start to encounter some fringe elements of an enemy force who is also obscured in the darkness. They shift their destination slightly, but continue as planned, striking from the darkness at the exposed Drow forces.
Move: Move to [strike]D4[/strike] D3.
Standard: Piercing Strike vs Eladrin Force C (CA due to target unable to see me)
d20+21=30 vs. Reflex, Hit!
d4+11=15 damage!
Sneak attack: 3d8+5=13 damage!
HP: 76/76 | HS: 8/8 | AC: 28 | Fort: 21 | Ref: 29 | Will: 24 | AP: 1 | Total Concealment
Move action: Shift to G6, reestablishing contact with Clockwork Crusaders. Spirit moves B4-B5-C4-C5-D5. Waiting to see if it runs into anything before finishing move.
Call SC to F4
Haunting Spirits vs C's Will: 1d20+14 16 Miss!
Class Feature: Allies adjacent to SC add +5 to damage rolls against bloodied enemies.
Spaces Adjacent to SC are difficult terrain to enemies.
I didn't take any damage from AOE attack on the SC, right?
77/77HP 9/9Surges 24AC/21Fort/23Ref/26Will 1AP Resist 10 Psychic 25PP 27PI
Clockwork Soldiers vs A's Reflex: 1d20+14 20 Miss
From the Darkness vs. Mareka's AC: 1d20+16+2 32 Hit
3d6+12 20 damage
Initiative
Eladrin Force D (G4)- HP 76/117; AC 27; Fort 24; Reflex 20; Will 22 Immobilized (save ends, -2 penalty to saves)
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College (C7)- HP 49/62; AC 25; Fort 20; Ref 25; Will 25; AP 1
Ander (D3)- HP 76/76; AC 28; Fort 21; Ref 29; Will 24; AP 1 Total Concealment
Oakhammer ()- HP 93/99; AC 25 -2; Fort 28; Ref 25; Will 22; AP 0 Raging
Reticulum (F5)- HP 77/77; AC 24; Fort 21; Ref 23; Will 26; AP 1
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Eladrin Force A- HP 98/114; AC 25; Fort 23; Ref 24; Will 23 Total Concealment, Marked
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Crusaders (D11)- HP 76/76; AC 25; Fort 20; Ref 23; Will 24; AP: 1
Mareka (E5)- HP 58/94; AC 29; Fort 25; Ref 21; Will 22; AP 1
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Eladrin Force C (E4)- HP 47/117; AC 27; Fort 24; Reflex 20; Will 22 ongoing 5 damage (save ends), Slowed, Immobilized (save ends, -2 penalty to saves)