On the base of the miniature, Myriam can see carved letters: "GBA/7/16/2004". She can only wonder what they mean tough.
First, bear in mind the map isn't exactly to scale, but it still allows us to get a feeling of the current tactical situation.
Each of the figures represents a platoon of troops-roughly between twenty and fourty troops each.
The figures with spears are basic infantry. I'm afraid that's all we really have available in quantity right now. We have some other kinds of troops still in our side, but not anywhere close to organize in full platoons.
The ones on horses are obviously cavarly. Fast on the open, but get bogged down easily on forests and mountains.
Those with bows are archers, providing ranged support, in particular against enemies coming from above.
The ones with cloaks and spellbooks are arcane mages. Mind you, Bren doesn't have hundreds of mages deployed against us. Each platoon of mages only has some three or four actual magic users, the rest will be regular infantry with the role of bodyguards.
Those with staffs and robes are divine priests. Similarly to the mages, only a few actual priests per platoon, the others protect them at all costs.
The ones with axes are bandits, opportunist scum, raiders and other villains. They carry whatever weapons and armor they can get their hands on and despite their lack of organization, their unpredictability still makes them quite dangerous.
The big building there is Castle Etruria, where we are now.
The smaller castles are minor but still important fortifications. I'm afraid those that are still on our hands are besieged by enemies of one kind or another. It's been our luck that the bad weather of the last months has slowed down the enemy advance, but it won't last forever...
The tiny houses are villages and farms, the true pillars of any proper kingdom if you ask me.
Aerial forces like pegasus and wyvern riders, as well as saboteurs and assassins are not presented in the map because they're either too mobile or too elusive for us to be able to keep track of them.
Finally, green figures are traveling mercenaries and merchants, offering their services to whoever can afford them. I would love to hire them, but our treasury is basically empty. We would need to secure funds from some place before.
Altough... The group up north has stablished itself on a fort we had lost to local raiders, which they then drove off. I've heard they have since converted the fort into an arena and take on any challengers, with great gold prizes to the winners. But you need to either bet money upfront or your own life to enter their arena. I couldn't ask my subordinates to take that kind of risk, neither I feel confident enough to take on that arena myself.
(http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg138/oslecamo/Extras/nintendospinoff_zps76f5f73e.png) (http://s247.photobucket.com/user/oslecamo/media/Extras/nintendospinoff_zps76f5f73e.png.html)
(http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg138/oslecamo/Extras/Nintendospinofflegend_zps4e8034d7.png) (http://s247.photobucket.com/user/oslecamo/media/Extras/Nintendospinofflegend_zps4e8034d7.png.html)
The figure resembling a mass of rocks bound together in a vaguely humanoid shape speaks, his voice unsurprisingly gravely but with an overtone that those familiar with the term might label "digital."
"Thank you for your trust in us, Captain Vallace. I will do my utmost to preserve your country and those living there."
It seemed as if Regideus might continue speaking but he fell silent and Tanek, the trimly built, copper skinned, young man at his side stepped up to the map in his stead.
"How much information do you have on your enemies' forces, captain? Are they capable, experienced? How do they compare to your own troops? In particular, the mages and priests, do you have an idea of their skill with magic? For instance, are the mages skilled enough to perform a full transformation into another creature, of a different kind (a human turning into a lion, for example)? Can they teleport multiple subjects a distance of several hundred feet? Information of this type will help us formulate an effective strategy when meet the enemy in battle."
I'm thinking that Tanek's spellcraft ranks let him identify common spells and their associated power levels. He can take 10 for a 22 if a roll is needed
"I too have some facility with altering my shape," said the walking mountain, "I can assume a form capable of transporting a unit or two of soldiers, as well as the members of the current company, at a fair speed."
Move of 95, comes out to 10mph ish I think, and as a construct he doesn't get tired. Light load is approx. 5,000lb which can be increased via a quadrapedal form.
"The 'greater good' is often poorly defined and even sometimes impossible to attain with one's resources. Keep in mind that entire wars can be avoided and thus the 'greater good' of preserving life can be attained through assassination and subterfuge. All war is deceit."
Alan punctuated his last sentence by dropping the image his Holographic Projector showed, revealing his cybernetic implants and true features.
Currently running the In Town setup in Alan's character sheet
"Dude, I don't CARE if it's convenient. Brainwashing is wrong no matter what. You can't go around changing who people are."
"Sir Ogilvie speaks the truth. It is the tactic of cowards and thieves."
"And as for you, overgrown lizard, chivalry's not about convenience. It's about sticking to principles to uphold the greater good, even at personal cost. And if you can honestly say that basic morality should be ditched during a battle, well, I don't think I can work with you very well."
Arthur breaths in very, very, deeply his mouth open, and seems to be trying to make the inhale loud enough to echo (though he does not manage to).
There is a saying dragons have, "Take the Deep Breath". It is meant as I just did it. When we breath in, we are not also breathing out, not to use the strength of our breath, nor to speak. The saying is one of patience and temperance. A reminder to find your internal balance before jumping in.
Arthur then look strait at Sir Ogilvie
Good sir, "Take the Deep Breath".
You are mistaken quite greatly about me, my motives, and my moral integrity.
There has been miscommunication, I believe.
And most of all, there is no need for you to be so derisive towards me. Not towards my character, nor my race.
I do not "ditch morality in battle". Rather, it is that my moral views on this situation are based on having the greatest possible number of survivors. Were you not the one, just a moment ago, commenting that there should be a means to overcome the enemy in ways that do not harm them? You gave the example of routing them, for the sake of their families, even.
I am thinking of the families of this countries soldiers and citizens.
And there is nothing, about this situation, or my suggestions, that is in any way, "Convenient". This is a dire situation, and has potential to get worse.
However, and this is a very critical part of your dissent against me, I am an Academician. I seek to learn. I looked at the situation, and stated what I believed to be the most advisable path in order to manage the saving of lives. At every point, I inquired as to the thoughts of others, as I am hardly alone here, nor am I any form of particular specialist in the art of combative strategems. I wish to have further information and input, so that we may all, us and those in the field, take the best possible course of action.
You wish to make comments about taking a convenient path, when you offer nothing to assist, other than objecting to whatever is said?
By all means, if you know of some way to have everyone come out, on this side of the battle and that, with little to no casualties,
*Loud Telepathy to the group*
Offer It
Because I am doing the best I can think to, but if you can do better, then it is you who should do so. Without the disrespect towards others, please. Or is disrespect such as referring to Manakete as "Overgrown Lizards" your definition of "chivalry".
A) can the rest of us hear your sword?
B) Well ... that escalated quickly.
Alan analyzed the map in further detail, muttering to himself and his suit a little with several calculations popping up on his HUD.
"For the arena to be worthwhile we would need to win and then get more recruits than we would lose in the time to travel there, succeed in their challenges, and then travel back. We would also have to factor in the people we could save and recruit through other means during that time. At the moment it seems we have more to lose through visiting the arena than we would gain.
I would say defense of this castle is our primary goal right now, and that includes preemptive defense. The raiders near us shouldn't be much of a threat unless they all banded together, which the Northern sets might if they had any kind of sense. The mountain pass directly East of us should provide those soldiers enough of a defensive stand to hold out for a while longer. I believe our best chance to make a difference is, as others have indicated, here." Alan said as he pointed to AC27.
"This fort is the most threatened and least likely to hold out unless we intervene. It is also close to some mercenaries that we might be able to persuade to lend us aid."
Osle, are P on the graph supposed to be priests? You didn't make a note of that with the red ovals.
It is settled then. If nothing else, wiping out some of the raider groups that have been sighted nearby the castle will rise our troop's morale. I wish you good luck!-Vallace replies
_____________________________________________________
Soon enough you're quickly traveling over the plains, carried in the back of Regideus. After a couple of hours the heavy rain becomes significantly weaker, no longer hindering your vision so much, but still you just see empty plains and tick forests in the background.
Eventually however you find the remains of a simple wood wagon, togheter with a bunch of male corpses, simple peasants by the look of their plain clothes. The rain may have washed out the blood, but it's plainly clear they were brutally killed not more than a few hours ago, axe wounds on their bodies.
From there, you spot a clear set of tracks. It's your luck that the rain lost power on the last hours, otherwise the trail would be much harder to follow. It leads towards the edge of the forest to your west.
Soon enough, you see it-a set of old ruins in the middle of the trees. Perhaps once a proud fort, now a set of half-torn walls and a crumbling ceiling. And around it some sixty men with worn-out axes, rusty swords, stone spears, wood javelins and rough leather armor, skulls and other bone pieces daggling from necklaces and belts. Several are humanoid skulls and bones by the looks of it. Among the raiders inside the larger ruins segment, you can spot one that clearly stands taller than the other, wearing actual chain mail and wielding a red-glowing black axe. Inside the smaller set of ruins, there's no raiders, but rather a pair of women and children tied up and blindfolded, clearly trembling.
You can see doubt and hesitation on some of the raider's eyes as they spot you aproaching as well, but quickly enough their leader drives its axe into a nearby large rock, cleaving it in two, and shouts:
The prey willingly comes to the great Bagra! Go you worthless scum! Capture the woman, kill everybody else!
Bagra's barking seems to inspire the hesitant raiders. Conflict is clearly inavoidable.
You come from the bottom edge of the map. Pick starting positions
(http://i.imgur.com/QJldOws.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/59o4lGv.png)
Maurice looked to the bandits, with their ramshackle arms and armor. Maurice drew Caliburn with a grin.
"Well then! Looks like this'll be over faster than I thought!"
With a burst of wind, he ran into the fray and towards the mob of bandits nearest the prisoners, attacking like some sort of whirlwind of steel and fury.
Starting from BB-17, Charging to ?-17 for a Pounce.
Initiative of 28. 32 in other rolling thread. (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=10598.msg174672#msg174672)
Curse you low attack rolls! You are the reason I usually play blasters! (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=10598.msg174697#msg174697)
Myriam had arrived from the side, walking forwards and smiling cheerfully at the bandits for all of a second. That was, of course, followed by a shout to make sure as many eyes as possible were on her--before she transformed, turning into a horrible abomination that just should not be. Looking at her was rather akin to watching reality cry out in pain.
Then the abomination moved forwards, one of its tentacles lashing out and attempting to strangle a guard. Painful.
Start at AF-1
Move Action to transform into the horrifying form of doom. DC26 Will save. Failure, -5 to all d20 rolls for a round; 21 or less, dazed for a round, 16 or less, insanity targeted at allies.
5-foot step to AF-2.
Normal attack with my long, long tentacle, free action to grapple the guy if it hits.
Rolls here. (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=10598.new#new)
[/s]
"You'll have to forgive me if I save my actual magics for situations that demand them"
With that, Arthur let out a line of electricity towards the grouping of bandits that Maurice zipped past the lightning then bursting into a sphere that encompassed the whole group.
Start at BB-16 Let out a burst of my breath, typed as electric at this time, not using entangling.
18 damage in a burst against the Mob at AH/AI-12/13. The Reflex save is DC 16.
Having let everyone but Tanek dismount, Regideus stomps forward in the wake of the Dragon's Lightning and lays into that same mob with his earthen fists.
The shaman clings to his deity's back until the latter has finished moving, then makes a few gestures and the ground beneath all three mobs and one of the lone raiders begins to shake.
Meanwhile, Tanek's companion, a Geodude named Tank, had dismounted with the rest. He spies a raider separated from the others and charges, a picture of Regideus's advance in miniature.
Regideus starts at BB-12 through BB-15 (he is currently gargantuan), moves forward so his top left corner is at AM-12 and attacks the mob in front of him for 29 attack and 48 damage (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=10598.new#new)
He uses a swift action to go into Fate Old Immortal Fire stance and will use an immediate action to create a Divine Shield if he is about to take any damage.
Tanek remains on Regideus and, after he stops moving, shapes Earthbreaker, modified with sculpt spellshape into 4 10ft cubes, covering all 3 mobs and the raider at Y-13 (cube covers Y and !-12 and 13.) for
28 damage to the raider, 42 to the mobs, ref 17 for half (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=10598.new#new), immobilized for a turn on a failed save, the area of the attack becomes difficult terrain (regardless of save.)
Tank starts at BB-5 and charges the raider at AX-5 but he trips over his lack of feet (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=10598.new#new)
Status
Regideus's current AC: 31 (if attacker touching ground, 26 if not)
Tank's current AC: 16
En route to the battle, Alan did some adjustments on his cybernetics.
--Specter operating system engaged
Designation: Alan Lance
Vitals: All clear, skipping analysis as per unit's preferences
Current module and energy loadout:
Generic module names selected due to unit "Wish[ing] those damn engineers would just make equipment designations easier on the eyes."
Universal Translator: Disengaging from Visor mount, allocating 0 energy to module.
Holographic Projector: Hot swap to Visor mount successful, Utility mount stable, allocating 2 energy to module
Scan Visor: Unmounted, allocating 2 energy units to module
Scrambler: Arm mount stable, allocating 3 energy units to module; Generalized language interference field GLIF increased to 60 foot radius, focused language interference blast FLIB range increased to 90 feet, omitting allies from GLIF exposure
Holographic Duplicates enabled. Two mirror images created and accompanying.
Energy: 7/7 allocated.
Hot swap feature unusable until next cycle.
Secondary systems configuration:
Armblade: Unattached. Unit opting to hold melee weapon.
Armbolt: Mechanism engaged. Range: 60 feet. Fatigue effect functional.
Equipment systems configuration:
Blurring armor engaged,
As they entered into the battle, Alan replied to Arthur.
"No forgiveness needed, so long as we still take care of business."
Alan took a moment to look at the leader and recall any information about this Bagra before moving forward to cloud the minds of the raiders a little.
Scan Visor boosts Knowledge checks by 8, and Alan's base Knowledge (local) check is +8 (5 ranks, +3 Int) for a total of +16.
Roll: 21 (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=10598.msg175070#msg175070)
Starting at BB-18 and moving to AT-18. Any enemies within 60 feet take a -5 insight penalty to Bluff, Computer Use, Decipher Script, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Knowledge, Listen, Sense Motive, and Truespeak checks. Assuming the leader isn't in range of a 90 foot hit, target at AM-25 has to make a DC 17 Will save or become unable to comprehend any sort of language for 1 minute. A successful save means it can't comprehend language for 1 round instead, unless it has Mettle.
Myriam walked forwards, onto the battlefield, and smiled cheerfully at the bandits for all of a second. That was, of course, followed by a shout to make sure as many eyes as possible were on her--before she transformed, turning into a horrible abomination that just should not be. Looking at her was rather akin to watching reality cry out in pain.
Start at BB-19, transform, move forwards to AR-19.
DC 26 Will Save. -5 penalty to all d20 rolls for a round if you fail, dazed if you fail by 5 or more, insanity and attacking a friend if you fail by 10 or more.
Maurice runs ahead of the rest of the party, his sword quickly guting a couple of the closest bandits.
Arthur unleashes a shocking blast on the closest group of barbarians, just before Regideus violently crashes on them, crushing their front rank into pulp. Then Tanek's earth magic crushes more of them under shifting stones, traping the others, as well as the lone bandit behind them and the one attacked by Maurice. The group of barbarians led by Bagra reacts quickly even as the ruins around them start to crumble, losing just some of their members.
Then Myriam screamed, and as the bandits eyes turn towards her, she changes. Most of the barbarians, in particular those struggling under Regideus direct assault, end up gazing into nothingness while pronouncing uncomprehesible words. A couple of them look back at their own companions, weapons pointed at them, their muderours intent suddenly shifted. Some are "just" left shaking visibly, while a few others and those under Bagra's direct command hold firm.
Alan can't get a proper lock-on with FLIB in Bagra inside his block of minions, but suceeds on using it on his secondary target. The bandit doesn't seem much bothered by it. The visual scan proves more sucessful
This is Bagra, a local petty brigand wanted for crimes of burglary, murder, manslaughter, torture, kidnaping prison arrest, and tax evasion, all in too many times to number.
Bagra has followed the life of a brigand for over a decade now, attacking whatever vulnerable targets he finds and knowing when to disapear into the depths of the forests for months when the going got tough. A brutal man of short vision, he seems to care for nothing but taking whatever he finds and he thinks he can get away with.
Bagra's fame at evading authority forces sent after him has allowed him to gather his personal band of equally-minded individuals. In the most recent year, with Etruria having to reduce wilderness patrols, Bagra has grown more bold and bloodthirsty, attacking bigger targets with less fear of repecursion. Despite several pleas from the local villagers to send a hunting expedition to put Bagra's campaign of terror to an end, for King Mildain he was but a tiny problem compared to all the other threats currently assaulting Etruria from other sides.
When facing resistance, Bagra has no problem sacrificing his minions to test and overwhelm the enemy with numbers, and has actually developed a talent as an intimidating leader, making sure his own men are more afraid of him than whatever else they may be facing. If forced to fight, Bagra has been reported as being more of a savage beast than a man, being able to resist grievous wounds and cleave his victims in two with a single blow. A brutal life of crime and surviving in the forests has both toughned Bagra up and sharpned up his combat skills to a considerable extent. He has no sense of honor whatsoever and will resort to dirty tricks whenever his raw cunning sees an opening.
As two of the bandits proceed to spill their own companion's blood, releasing animalistic roars mixed with mad laughter, Bagra raises his axe and barks orders:
Those mind tricks of theirs are nothing you coackroaches! Just get togheter and kill them! And none of you even imagine about fleeing, you saw how fast some of them could move!
As he speaks, he pushes forward his group of bandits, driving them out of the crumbled ruins parts before he points his axe at Tanek in Regideus back. The surrounding brigands pull crude wooden spears from their backs and launch them in a disorganized volley against the spellshaper!
Regideus himself is attacked by two lone bandits, both of their muscles bulging up as they grunt and spit. One, wielding a crude axe with both hands, still trembling from witnessing Myriam, fails to penetrate his tough hide. His companion, wielding a rusty sword in one hand and a dented axe in the other, drives them simultaneously on the pokemon's body, sinking them trough chinks on his rocky body with savage strength! Or at least he would've, if a sudden glowing barrier didn't stop his weapons at the last moment! Still the divine curse jumps to him, and altough he manages to shrugg off the first scritpture, the second warps around him, limiting his movements.
The lone, immobilized barbarian between the two bigger groups pulls out a wood spear and throws it at Maurice, that easily dodges it almost as if the projectile was in slow motion. Then the eastern barbarians manage to scramble out of the shifting earth created under them and swarm around him, stabbing and slashing and bashing with a myriad of weapons while roaring insults all along.
One of the lone barbarians in the back aproaches the prisioners.
(http://i.imgur.com/jvEczMW.jpg)
I for insane
-5 for -5 penalty
i for immobilized
D for dazed
Bandit to the right of Regideus confused.
(http://i.imgur.com/59o4lGv.png)
Maurice can make an aoo and takes 49 mob up damage.
Regideus can make up to two aoos and his Divine Shield takes 34 damage from two regular attacks.
Regideus minion takes 44 mob volley mob up damage, Ref 16 for half.
As a reminder, mob up damage allows you to use Armor, Natural Armor and Shield bonus to directly reduce this damage.
The mass of tentacles and eye-raping flesh shifted, moving with alarming speed, almost rolling in a way that suggested its many appendages were being used as caterpillar tracks to speed its bulk towards a target. Myriam's tentacles lashed out as soon as it was within range, aiming to enshroud and drag down her unfortunate victim.
Well, he was quite possibly more fortunate than many of his colleagues: he would likely escape dying if the god beside him didn't kill him.
Move to 10' away from the bandit to Regideus' right and attempt to initiate a grapple with the bandit, investing all tentacles. Because I can do this as many times as I have attacks, this is quite a few attempts.
If successful, move into their square (doesn't count against my movement for the turn and is a free action) and use any remaining attempts to pin them.
Attempting to grapple this way (rather than attacking) provokes an AoO if they have the reach.
At this point, assuming that it doesn't provoke AoO's, disarm attempts on their weapon, then their armour. 7 of them (7 extra tentacles invested, so 7 free actions 1/round to do such). According to pinned, they can't move, so I wouldn't think it can provoke. If the weapon is disarmed, it's then dropped (same free action), as is the armour. -4 penalty to resist disarming the armour. Any excess disarm attempts used to remove whatever.
In summary: Grapple -> Pin -> Disarm, moving on if there's success at any stage. And that the bandit isn't dead already, in which case I just stand by Regideus.
Rolls here. (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=10598.msg177114#msg177114)
As Alan moved forward he took the option of hiding using his armor's Blurring capability.
Hide = 38
Move Silently = 16 (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=10598.msg179346#msg179346)
Upon moving up close to Myriam and Regideus (double move to AK-16) he whispered to them.
"Bagra's a mean piece of work. He'll sacrifice his pawns to save his skin, and when he isn't turning them into raving savages he becomes one himself. He's got no sense of honor, and I'd expect him to let, or even order, the prisoners be killed. See if you can keep his cronies away from the prisoners, and then see if you can deal with the mob around him. I can't get a good shot on my mind scrambler with him in there."
As the mob surrounded him, Maurice dodged the blows as best he could- however, sheer numbers managed to get the better of him. This did not lessen his resolve as he had but one response as he lashed out with Caliburn.
"Come on, step it up!"
Caliburn, blade dug into one of the mob, had its own response.
"There is nothing that the Knight of The Wind cannot best!"
43 HP remains.
Attacking with a 1-handed weapon grants a +4 dodge bonus to AC from Paragon Finesse.
Taking a full attack action, as well as the attack of opportunity. (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=10598.msg179651#msg179651)
Crit confirmation roll. (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=10598.msg179653#msg179653)
Regideus receives a pair of solid hits from the raider, but stones appear to spring from the ground and interpose themselves as his divine shield wards off the damage. A rocky projection leaps from his body in response, shoving powerfully at the raider while the god focuses his attention on the immobilized mob in front of him. Striking and ripping, he hopes to finish them off.
Tanek is less fortunate. A hail of missiles rains down on him and he takes several direct hits. Badly wounded, he scrambles from Regideus's back and attempts to take cover behind the earthen deity.
Tank meanwhile, swings at the raider in front of him, attempting to push him back, then sinks smoothly into the earth.
Tanek spends his actions getting down from Regideus and taking cover behind him.
Regideus will full attack the mob in front of him with two slams for 40 and 32, damage 59 and 61 (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=10598.msg180068#msg180068). If both hit he gets a rend from his locking hands for 54 extra damage (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=10598.msg180068#msg180068), assuming mobs are subject to rend damage (since the strength of a mob is its tight formation, I could see how ripping into that formation (probably with a body in each hand) could do the equivalent of rend damage.)
If he takes out the mob with the first shot he'll target the raider who hit him with the second.
Then, if that raider is still alive (or didn't get attacked), he will use his shoving arm to make a free action touch attack of 28 (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=10598.msg180068#msg180068) in order to make a bull rush attempt of 52 (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=10598.msg180068#msg180068).
Tank will attack the raider in front of him, using his Push ability to bull rush if he hits. If he successfully pushes his target, he will then use a move action to earth glide straight down 5ft.
The bandit struggles like a possessed madman, but Myriam still suceeds on holding him down and tear away his weapon, shody armor, his pouch belt and then his clothes until there's nothing left to remove.
Maurice's blade takes an heavy toll on the bandits surrounding him, but it seems that just as one body falls a fresh enemy steps on the empty space left to take a swing at the knight. Not even when a sonic-speed slash decapitates three bandits at once do they seem to falter!
Regideus meanwhile swings its massive fists from opposite directions at the weakened bandit group right in front of him, managing to trap most of them. The pokemon god feels the packed-up flesh be squeezed until it bursts and the bones underneath break in a series of cracks until he only feels a soft mush between his hands. The few survivors that had managed to duck in time away from the blow are left cowering in the floor!
"Press on you worthless scum! Don't think you'll have any better luck than them if you try to run now! Get the tentacle beast first, it seems squishier than that rock giant! And where are my hostages?"
Bagra leads his own group closer to Regideus, unleashing a new volley of javelins and darts, this time aimed at Myriam! They almost hit Alan as well, lurking just besides her whispering advice.
As if following his command, one of the lone raiders enters the ruins with the hostages and pushes his worn-out sword to the neck of a tied up child that seemed to be praying before, but now is just glaring in terror.
Yah all heard da boss! Leave us alone or the little runt gets it!
Meanwhile Tank misses his second swing at the Raider, but manages to slip off below the earth just before he breaks out of his daze. Looking around, he moves around the trees, pulling an handaxe from his belt and throws it at Tanek that is hiding behind Regideus. But he manages to take cover under his master's body, the weapon ricocheting harmlessy out of the divine shield.
The insane bandits keep dueling with their own companions closest to them, aparently oblivious to the rest of the battle.
(http://i.imgur.com/dTvO6Gv.jpg)
I for insane
g is for grappled
(http://i.imgur.com/59o4lGv.png)
Maurice takes 39 mob up damage.
Myriam takes 36 mob volley damage, Ref 16 for half.
As a reminder, mob up damage allows you to use Armor, Natural Armor and Shield bonus to directly reduce this damage.
36-10-5-4=17, 85/102 Remaining.
For the moment ignoring the arrows that were impacting on her grotesque personage, Myriam turned her attention to the bandit in her grasp. Such an unfortunate soul, to be the first of her new friends, this day; he would undoubtedly be riddled with arrows, if he managed to get out...
What followed was not something that anyone was likely to pay too much attention to.
Replacing up to 5 levels (out of however many he has) with Pseudonatural Creature to avoid the 'you are now insane' trouble upon transforming, unless immunity to one (i.e. Myriam's) confers immunity to all, in which case just turn all his HD into PsC levels (which may have the exact same result). Alien Assimilation, ho!
Having delivered his message to Myriam and Regideus, Alan moved forward to hopefully get to the mook by the hostages in time to save them.
Taking a double move, but moving at 25 feet instead of 30 to only lower the hide check by 5 instead of the assumed 10 for full speed. Same for Move Silently. Moving to AB-15, assuming the mob at ?-17 doesn't have reach.
Doing rolls just in case: rolls (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=10598.msg198648#msg198648).
The battle rages fierce allaround Myriam as she transforms the bandit on her grasp into one of her kind, and he quickly stops struggling. His enraged face relaxes and turns into a relaxed expression, some drool sliping from his mouth as he looks up at nothing in particular.
Fine, that's how you want it, that's how I'll do it! Kill one of the sheep!-orders Bagra while advancing with his mob towards Myriam, and the bandit watching over the hostages cuts down one of the tied up women, while the others scream in terror.
Regideus moves to intercept, but Bagra uses his underlings as cover and splits off, quickly closing in with Myriam!
(http://i.imgur.com/dWEZ6M4.jpg)
I don't know what you're doing to my man there, but I don't like it! Cut if off!-he threatens at Myriam as he swings his axe at her (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkQXQLPrCqo). Despite rusted and cracked, the weapon cuts deep into her flesh. Bagra's martial prowess is clearly on a superior level to his minions. goes straight trough her body whitout inflicting any visible damage. Bagra's eyes widen in disbelief.
Alan slips unnoticed between the confrontations all around him to close in to the ruins holding the hostages.
(http://i.imgur.com/dvssEJd.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/l3uOPBf.png)
Myriam takes 51 damage. Game bug protects Myriam.
The horrific mass of tentacles glared at the man, shuffling around him a bit before lashing out to try and smash every bone in his body. She might not have been hurt by his attack, but that didn't mean it hadn't annoyed the monstrosity.
5-foot step to AJ-15, full attack.
Alan grit his teeth as one of the hostages went down. Luckily he had moved into ranged for GLIF to be effective against both Bagra and the raider threatening the hostages. Now he had to make a decision on which one to fire FLIB at. If he took out Bagra's ability to communicate, how would the raiders react? Even if it was badly, he couldn't let Bagra bark out more orders.
He turned around and shot Bagra with FLIB, hoping it'd be enough. After the shot he reallocated energy to 3/3 for the Projector and 1/3 for the scanner and then moved to Y-14 (Z-14?) to hopefully be able to get a charging bull rush off on the V-16 guy.
Scrambler's GLIF is still imposing a -5 insight penalty to all Bluff, Computer Use, Decipher Script, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Knowledge, Listen, Sense Motive, and Truespeak checks for enemies within 60 feet of him. Standard action to use FLIB against Bagra with a DC 17 Will save. On a failed save he can't understand any language for 1 minute. Successful save is 1 round.
Hide and Move Silently rolls (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=10598.msg201295#msg201295)
Myriam's tentacles rake at Bagra, and altough his flesh proves tougher than that of regular humans, she's still dealing plenty of visible damage, covering his body in dark bruises while the sounds of bones cracking under the impact is heard, while her new "friend", still a bit drooly, proves a distraction from the other side. The bandit leader still manages to dodge out of the way of two tentacles, one of them by amazing reflexes.
Then Bagra's body muscles riple and the veins of his neck bulge as he lets out an animalistic roar followed by a series of grunts mixed with thrown spit at Myriam. It almost seems like he was trying to say something, but forgot how to speak. Still a dark fire now seems to burns in his eyes. Is he really human? The bandit converted by Myriam starts shaking, and Bagra suddenly turns and chops off his head in one fluid move, then spins around and delivers two more axe blows at the mass of tentacles, hacking deep in her flesh. It's unnatural how he can still put up so much fight in his current condition.
A bit up more north, Alan remains undetected, watching how the raiders around seem to be confused at the sudden loss of speech from their commander. Most of them still are locked in combat with someone else, but the one watching the hostages seems at a loss of what to do.
(http://i.imgur.com/v8Y6N9r.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/l3uOPBf.png)
Myriam takes 35+40 damage. She also needs a DC 22 Will save or become Shaken for 11 rounds.
Having successfully defeated the bandit boss, Myriam went off after the fleeing bandits. If she could just grab one or two, then she could make a few more friends... a few people like her. Or children. That sounded good, too; making... MORE.
So long as two are caught: first one gets PnC'd, second one gets eggs. SPREAD THE CORRUPTION. :D
Running into the woods, Myriam quickly catches up with a pair of the fleeing bandits. As they try to escape, she easily catches them both and proceeds to do her work. A few moments of desesperate screaming later at the hands of her tentacles, and the transformation is complete in one of them. Altough he remains unchanged on the outside, Myriam knows they now share the same "nature". As for the other bandit, she knows her children are now growing inside of him.
Unmobbed bandit mooks have so low stats compared to Myriam that there's no need to roll.
Leave the first bandit in a mind-erasing catatonic state yes/no?
Do you let the one with the eggs run away, or you knock them out and drag them back to the castle, or something else?
Now that she thinks about it, Myriam's not very sure about what happenned to her companions. They seem to just have become... Lost in the woods. Still, she finds her way out, and after a long and boring walk under the rain dragging two uncoscious bodies each bigger than her current form, she finally spots Etruria Castle in the distance. There's no guards on the ground, but she can spot some over the castle walls, illuminated by torches. They don't seem to have noticed Myriam yet.
So, want to try to sneak into the castle? Or call out to be let in first?
Myriam remembers a secret passage hidden in a nearby woods, meant as an escape route in the case of siege. The heavy rain helps her conceal her movements besides the need to drag two unscious bandits behind her as she moves towards it...
______________________
After some minutes of walking across an uderground, dark, wet and cold corridor, Myriam emerges into a small stone room, on the other side of which there's a set of stairs. On the walls are hanged Etruria's flags, suggesting the enemy still hasn't found this place. There's a couple beds and some chests on the floor containing various basic supplies, including preserved rations, money, basic clothes, simple weapons and armor.
Myriam remembers the stairs on the room should lead to the prince's personal chambers. It was supposed to be his escape route after all...
Listen check please.
Room Supplies:
6xPotion of Expeditious Retreat.
24 x Potions of Vigor.
One copy of each mundane "core" equipment worth 100 GP or less. She can't carry it all with her tough.
A large bullion that should be worth at least 10 000 GP! Easy to transport and keep hidden.
Listen check! (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=10598.msg208235#msg208235)
Myriam, for ease of rearrangement, resumed her nightmarish form and lifted a backpack, filling it with the potions, and then neatly arranged the armour. Her new friend would be out for a while, so she left him by the incubating bandit and placed a sword by his side, just in case it would come in handy. The bullion, meanwhile, was stashed in her obi after returning to her humanoid appearance.
Finally, the monster downed one of the more numerous potions and settled down to wait, sitting so that anyone coming down the stairs wouldn't see her--and anyone descending in the dark would run the risk of tripping over the quarterstaff she forced between the two walls at shin-height.
Wait 13 rounds (returning to 36 HP), listening (just over two minutes?). If it still seems no-one's coming, drink another one and continue waiting, until 72HP. If no-one's come down by then, time for her to climb the stairs.
The noise of enemy soldiers searching upstairs continues, but is only some seconds after Myriam gulps the second potion that there's a sudden "click" and the sound of an heavy stone door sliding.
Ah, found a secret passage!
Hmm, it looks dark down there, should we go tell the sergeant?
Nah, let's take a look ourselves first, I smell gold down there. More for us if we don't need to split it with anyobody else!
Ok then, watch your step!
Then the sound of boots coming down the steps quickly aproaches. Soon followed by a "thud" and a short scream as a soldier clad in red breastplate, a longsword sheated at his belt, comes rolling down the rest of the stairs and lands prone just in front of Myriam!
Myriam is curently at 60 HP and gets a suprise round.
Roll initiative as well.
Failure of an initiative roll, go! (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=10598.msg208933#msg208933)
Also, should that be 50HP because I added 10 to the final total by accident, or was it indeed nearly three minutes? XD
Myriam shuffled into the full view of the soldiers, stopping just out of reach of the first soldier and looking rather smug at the success of her little trick. Then? Then, everything went terribly wrong for the unfortunate soldiery, as the slight girl before them turned into a mind-breaking abomination.
Will DC is 26.
When the guy stands up and provokes an AoO, I can start a grapple, right? Or does that need to be my attacking, so I just hit him normally? XD
15% Miss Chance, -5 penalty to their attacks (alternatively, Myriam's AC is functionally 31), immune to flanking and criticals.
Missingno: enemy of rogues everywhere
As he tries to get back up, the soldier gazes upon the girl transforming into something beyond description. His face becomes transfixed, as if day dreaming, his mouth opening and closing whitout making a sound in pure disbelief, and he remains on the ground.
I told you to watch your step! I'm coming down!-calls the other soldier from above the stairs, followed by the sound of him quickly descending the stairs.
Soldier dazed, Myriam's turn again.
The unfortunate soldier in front of Myriam was... well, grabbed, tentacles lashing out and seizing him, and then attempting to force him to the ground. If he was very fortunate, he might avoid this fate--but really, what chance did he have in the long run>?
Grapple attempts! (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=10598.new#new) Then pinning. NOT, however, using the mysterious tentacle, since that has a 15' length and is being reserved to deal with the guy coming down the stairs. Does the 'not count as grappled' thing allow me to stay out of his square and ten feet further away?
Which reminds me I should find a way to get more Attacks of Opportunity. Easiest way with my DEX appears to be 'take a level of Shrine Maiden'. :lmao
The soldier still struggles a bit, but there's just too many tentacles quickly latching into him and he's quickly immobilized by Myriam.
His companion goes down a few steps of the stairs, notices the tentacle mass stretching over the fallen human on the floor, and starts to back away slowly.
H-Hold up man! I'm going to... HELP! THERE'S MONSTERS IN THE CASTLE! HELP!
And he breaks off running up the stairs away from Myriam.
Ok, I'll rule that you can keep the pinned down soldier 10 feet away from you.
The pinned soldier's life was about to get a whole lot worse. So was the other guy's, maybe.
Alien Assimilation, only one level, leave him napping and chase. The soldier has a lead, but I have 40' movement (including up walls) and 15' reach. >:3
Myriam closes in with the fleeing soldier, her tentacles almost touching him as he keeps screaming
IT'S JUST BEHIND ME! SOMEBODY! HELP!
You get one Aoo, then can chase after him and make another attack.
Myriam sucessfully catches the fleeing soldier, that can only struggle helplessly against her crushing grasp.
Another listen check please.
Roll here. (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=4767.msg211002#msg211002)
Much like his companion the tentacles got everywhere. Unlike him, this guy got to wake up.
Alien Assimilation, 1 level, again.
"Yes. You are not taking my things out of that basement," Myriam stated, tapping the sergeant's breastplate with more force than anyone of her slight frame should be able to conjure up. Myriam once again cast off any guise of humanity... right in the centre of all the soldiers, which was probably not going to do them any favours, followed by an unspeakable muttering.
Then she bolted, rushing out from the centre of the group, wanting to get to her hoard--and hopefully, they would be too... busy to follow her. Maybe her friend would take some time to deal with them.
Transformation--same ol' DC 26, -5 d20 penalty if failed, then dazed, then insanity. etc.
After that, Unspeakable Whispers--DC 13, Will. 1d4 rounds of Confusion if they fail the save. Affects everyone within 10' of Myriam at the time. (Kind of sad that Shoggoth uses the CHA = DC's thing).
They aren't going to be terribly coherent after this, are they? :lmao