Encounter 8: The Hornet's Nest

[phaedrusxy]

In an impossibly short fraction of a second, the door bursts open and a tall woman in a powdered wig, a hunting dress, and tricorn hat lifts a rifle and opens fire shouting "Meet the bolts of Vengeance, INTERLOPERS !" The shots pour forth from the ivory and silver inlaid weapon so fast its hard to even comprehend what's going on, as magical energy arcs over its surface. Each of you is hit twice by blows of force energy, precisely aimed to do as much damage as possible, despite the haste in which they were delivered. Adding to the odditly of the scene, you notice that she has a handbag and umbrella hanging from one arm as she sprays the room with bullets.

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attack and damage rolls. This is against your flat-footed touch ACs, unless you have a means to prevent that. The d6s are precision damage, also. And each hit forces a Fort save DC 31 or be Stunned for 1d4 rounds (I'll roll durations as needed)
attack Marlowe 1d20+36 : 3 + 36, total 39
damage 1d8+14 : 7 + 14, total 21

attack RJ 1d20+36 : 7 + 36, total 43
damage 1d8+14 : 7 + 14, total 21

attack Raoul 1d20+36 : 15 + 36, total 51
damage 1d8+14 : 5 + 14, total 19

attack Orghest 1d20+36 : 19 + 36, total 55
damage 1d8+14 : 7 + 14, total 21

attack Cade 1d20+36 : 2 + 36, total 38
damage 1d8+14 : 4 + 14, total 18

attack Orghest 1d20+36 : 10 + 36, total 46
damage 1d8+14 : 1 + 14, total 15

attack Marlowe 1d20+31 : 17 + 31, total 48
damage 1d8+14 : 5 + 14, total 19

attack RJ 1d20+31 : 7 + 31, total 38
damage 1d8+14 : 5 + 14, total 19

attack Raoul 1d20+26 : 8 + 26, total 34
damage 1d8+14 : 7 + 14, total 21

attack Cade 1d20+26 : 10 + 26, total 36
damage 1d8+14 : 1 + 14, total 15

[Bozwevial]

Even though the woman's movements are incredibly fast, Marlowe has ample time to react. Before a single bullet clears the barrel of the rifle, he's crossed the room and aimed two wickedly fast stabs apiece at the woman's lungs. "I'm sorry madam, do you have an appointment?"

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From the other thread:

Attacks:
Rolled 1d20+22 : 14 + 22, total 36
Rolled 1d20+22 : 12 + 22, total 34
Rolled 1d20+17 : 7 + 17, total 24
Rolled 1d20+17 : 13 + 17, total 30

Damage:
Rolled 4d6+8 : 5, 1, 1, 1 + 8, total 16
Rolled 4d6+8 : 5, 6, 6, 3 + 8, total 28
Rolled 4d6+8 : 3, 3, 6, 3 + 8, total 23
Rolled 4d6+8 : 1, 4, 3, 5 + 8, total 21

3d6 on each of those attacks are precision damage. If she's still going to fire next to me and she provokes AoOs for doing so, do let me know. I have ten of those per round.

[phaedrusxy]

Two of the slashes cut into her flesh, but not quite as deeply as you'd expected. Her pale skin seems almost as hard as marble. Up close, you think you can see a resemblance between her face and Faust's... but that thought quickly passes from your mind as she replies Why yes, just look at the time ! It's BULLET time ! and sprays the room with bullets (the previously rolled attacks).

In between shots, she also activates some magical abilities, which lowers her defenses briefly each time, allowing Marlowe the chance to get in a couple of attacks.

She then turns the barrel directly at Marlowe and fires even more bullets than she just sprayed into the room. As she turns the barrel towards Marlowe, you see a crystalline necklace she's wearing flash flash beneath the neckline of her dress.

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Did you include Magebane bonuses last time? If not, add it to those two attacks that hit, and any others. Make two attacks of opportunity for the two SLAs she's activating in combat. If anyone wants to ID them, they are Mirror Image and Freedom of Movement. She's actually doing this before firing more shots, despite what I said in the narrative.

And also, everyone make your Fort saves. Even if you're not flat-footed, they're still against touch AC. So I think they all hit. And yes... despite how insane this may seem, this is all still within the Surprise round.

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These are all directed at Marlowe.

Rolled 1d20+36 : 12 + 36, total 48
Rolled 1d8+14 : 6 + 14, total 20

Rolled 1d20+36 : 19 + 36, total 55
Rolled 1d8+14 : 6 + 14, total 20

Rolled 1d20+36 : 11 + 36, total 47
Rolled 1d8+14 : 8 + 14, total 22

Rolled 1d20+36 : 18 + 36, total 54
Rolled 1d8+14 : 7 + 14, total 21

Rolled 1d20+36 : 13 + 36, total 49
Rolled 1d8+14 : 8 + 14, total 22

Rolled 1d20+36 : 6 + 36, total 42
Rolled 1d8+14 : 7 + 14, total 21

Rolled 1d20+31 : 7 + 31, total 38
Rolled 1d8+14 : 8 + 14, total 22

Rolled 1d20+31 : 19 + 31, total 50
Rolled 1d8+14 : 7 + 14, total 21

Rolled 1d20+26 : 13 + 26, total 39
Rolled 1d8+14 : 2 + 14, total 16

Rolled 1d20+26 : 10 + 26, total 36
Rolled 1d8+14 : 8 + 14, total 22


Rolled 1d20+36 : 4 + 36, total 40
Rolled 1d8+14 : 2 + 14, total 16

Rolled 1d20+36 : 12 + 36, total 48
Rolled 1d8+14 : 6 + 14, total 20

Rolled 1d20+36 : 2 + 36, total 38
Rolled 1d8+14 : 1 + 14, total 15

Rolled 1d20+36 : 11 + 36, total 47
Rolled 1d8+14 : 3 + 14, total 17

Rolled 1d20+36 : 11 + 36, total 47
Rolled 1d8+14 : 3 + 14, total 17

Rolled 1d20+36 : 18 + 36, total 54
Rolled 1d8+14 : 1 + 14, total 15

Rolled 1d20+31 : 7 + 31, total 38
Rolled 1d8+14 : 5 + 14, total 19

Rolled 1d20+31 : 4 + 31, total 35
Rolled 1d8+14 : 6 + 14, total 20

Rolled 1d20+26 : 7 + 26, total 33
Rolled 1d8+14 : 3 + 14, total 17

Rolled 1d20+26 : 1 + 26, total 27
Rolled 1d8+14 : 1 + 14, total 15

[Bozwevial]

Marlowe sweeps both swords in a wide arc at the woman's stomach before she points the barrel at him. Time slows to a crawl as he neatly sidesteps, ducks, and avoids every single one of the bullets. "Bullet time, you say?"

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Magebane bonuses are included, I know her well enough for that. The miss chance apparently foiled none of the attacks somehow (the odds of this happening are very, very low), but at least she rolled a natural 1 on one of her shots!

Anyway, AoOs:

Rolled 1d20+22 : 6 + 22, total 28
Rolled 1d20+22 : 6 + 22, total 28
Rolled 4d6+8 : 1, 4, 6, 3 + 8, total 22
Rolled 4d6+8 : 3, 6, 5, 3 + 8, total 25

And I'll just go ahead and spend 19 Moments to dodge every last shot. 10/29 left after that.

[phaedrusxy]

As Cade is jerked into wakefulness from dream by the hail of bullets, he opens his eyes... but cannot shake the feeling that he's still dreaming. He notices that the woman appears to be glowing slightly, and dreamlike. Orghest notices it as well.

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(Hard to fail a DC 15 check with your bonuses. )

As soon as they have this realization, they both also notice that she's not actually casting spells: she's manipulating dream stuff to emulate spells! But you're sure that you're both not actually asleep... somehow she's surrounded herself with a halo of dreamstuff, as if she were in a Dreamscape while awake!

[VennDygrem]

Cade awakens to a storm of flying bullets and sword-strikes. Before he can react, two of the bullets strike him; the first merely grazes his shoulder, but the other lands with a solid impact. The fiend freezes in place, unable to act!

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Fort save time:
1d20(17)+14=31
1d20(7)+14=21

So looks like I make the first one by a hair, but fully get boned by the second one. I'll go ahead and roll the 1d4 rounds of stunning if you don't mind, to save some time: 1d4=1

[phaedrusxy]

Marlowe's impossible gyrations only anger the woman further, and she screams in rage and fills the room with lightning which arcs between all of you. (two more attacks of opportunity for Marlowe)

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via Lucid Dreaming she emulates two Chain Lightning spells with Marlowe as the primary target (everyone else gets half the initial damage).

lucid dreaming vs DC 28 1d20+26 : 6 + 26, total 32

lucid dreaming2 vs DC 28 1d20+26 : 7 + 26, total 33

Rolled 20d6 : 5, 1, 3, 3, 3, 2, 2, 6, 1, 1, 4, 1, 1, 5, 6, 1, 5, 2, 5, 5, total 62

Rolled 20d6 : 3, 4, 1, 1, 3, 3, 5, 4, 4, 3, 2, 4, 1, 6, 2, 1, 1, 6, 1, 4, total 59

These can be resisted entirely with an opposed Lucid Dreaming check or a Will save (DC in the rolls above). If that fails, a Reflex save halves the damage (DC 24).

And still the bullets keep coming... again straight at Marlowe...

first batch !

Rolled 1d20+36 : 13 + 36, total 49
Rolled 1d8+14 : 5 + 14, total 19

Rolled 1d20+36 : 5 + 36, total 41
Rolled 1d8+14 : 5 + 14, total 19

Rolled 1d20+36 : 8 + 36, total 44
Rolled 1d8+14 : 2 + 14, total 16

Rolled 1d20+36 : 6 + 36, total 42
Rolled 1d8+14 : 3 + 14, total 17

Rolled 1d20+36 : 7 + 36, total 43
Rolled 1d8+14 : 8 + 14, total 22

Rolled 1d20+36 : 9 + 36, total 45
Rolled 1d8+14 : 4 + 14, total 18

Rolled 1d20+31 : 9 + 31, total 40
Rolled 1d8+14 : 8 + 14, total 22

Rolled 1d20+31 : 19 + 31, total 50
Rolled 1d8+14 : 8 + 14, total 22

Rolled 1d20+26 : 7 + 26, total 33
Rolled 1d8+14 : 6 + 14, total 20

Rolled 1d20+26 : 14 + 26, total 40
Rolled 1d8+14 : 5 + 14, total 19


second batch !

Rolled 1d20+36 : 12 + 36, total 48
Rolled 1d8+14 : 8 + 14, total 22

Rolled 1d20+36 : 15 + 36, total 51
Rolled 1d8+14 : 4 + 14, total 18

Rolled 1d20+36 : 5 + 36, total 41
Rolled 1d8+14 : 4 + 14, total 18

Rolled 1d20+36 : 4 + 36, total 40
Rolled 1d8+14 : 6 + 14, total 20

Rolled 1d20+36 : 4 + 36, total 40
Rolled 1d8+14 : 7 + 14, total 21

Rolled 1d20+36 : 11 + 36, total 47
Rolled 1d8+14 : 6 + 14, total 20

Rolled 1d20+31 : 6 + 31, total 37
Rolled 1d8+14 : 2 + 14, total 16

Rolled 1d20+31 : 6 + 31, total 37
Rolled 1d8+14 : 3 + 14, total 17

Rolled 1d20+26 : 15 + 26, total 41
Rolled 1d8+14 : 5 + 14, total 19

Rolled 1d20+26 : 19 + 26, total 45
Rolled 1d8+14 : 6 + 14, total 20

[Bozwevial]

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From the dice thread:

AoOs:
Rolled 1d20+22 : 9 + 22, total 31
Rolled 1d20+22 : 11 + 22, total 33
Rolled 4d6+8 : 4, 5, 1, 3 + 8, total 21
Rolled 4d6+8 : 2, 3, 5, 3 + 8, total 21

Failed both Will saves but passed both Reflex saves, so the damage is halved to 31+29=60 total 21+20=41 total.

4 of the 20 attacks didn't hit the miss chance, so that's down to 16 (all of which hit my touch AC). Do either of those AoOs hit after Mirror Image? The extra Moments would make some difference in how I react.

[phaedrusxy]

Despite the multiple images of the crazed woman, Marlowe manages to dig both blades in, drawing blood. He hit the real target both times!

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5 images. Also, note that the chain lightning damage was wrong the first time. I rerolled it in the OOC. Should be 42 and 41.

[Bozwevial]

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That's 41 damage, putting me at 66/107 HP and 15/29 Moments. That'd be good enough to miss all but one attack, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if she just brought out another volley, which would outright kill me...probably safer to stick with this, then.

Marlowe's pocketwatch ticks loudly as the new hailstorm of bullets turns his way. He dives aside fast enough to leave an afterimage, while three of the woman's bullets stop in their tracks and reverse their trajectories, now aimed at her face instead of his.

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Six of my remaining 15 Moments go to reflecting those first three attacks. Two of them are spent moving 10 feet off to a corner of the office, and the last seven are for turning on Hide in Plain Speed's Greater Invisibility in the process, which she couldn't see through even if she has on True Seeing. Seems like the safest option to me for now, at least.

[phaedrusxy]

As the bullets turn on her, her savage grin turns into a face of horror and the last one leaves her reeling in place.

[Bozwevial]

Marlowe sniffs disdainfully as the burns from the woman's blasts of lightning begin to fade. His pocketwatch rewinds itself, giving the faintest of chimes as it gathers scraps of seconds and wasted moments from the room.

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I'm just going to take a full-round action to recharge my potentiometer so I'm ready to deal with whatever she throws at us this go-round, if she turns out not to be stunned. That should be easy enough to slot into the initiative order if I've got something wrong, but I think we're finally out of the surprise round.

71/107 HP, 29/29 Moments.

[Agita]

Ris-Janna just winces a bit when one of the shots connects with her shoulder, while the lightning splashes off of her with a pretty lightshow and no effect. Watching Marlowe's actions attentively, she jumps the copy he attacked as soon as the two time manipulators are done showing off like jerks and grabs for the illusion she's spread to rip it to pieces. At the same time, she reaches down to grab on to their attacker's dropped weapon.

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Nullify check (DC 11 + Caster Level) (1d20+20=23)
And that'S where the luck on the knowledge rolls came from. Alas.

However! Picking up the rifle as a move action. Yay for stunning.

[phaedrusxy]

The images vanish and the bloodied woman is still reeling and weaponless.

[HeadofVecna]

Still in Otyugh for, Orgesht thrashes at the bullet impacts, his eyestalk twisting about in search of the assailant. Seeing her, it dismisses the follow up dream lightning with something approaching contempt. The tentacled horror strikes back, at first cautiously, but then with increasing fury. With the final blow of the flurry, he blends into the urbane office scenery, completely fading from view.

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If the first hit is reflected back somehow, I'll abort the rest. And, if possible, I'd like to take my swift action after seeing the results of the attack. Here are the roll results modified by Supernaturally Fortunate
Attack Rolls
Primary Tentacles
Rolled 1d20+29 : 6 + 29, total 39
Rolled 1d20+29 : 2 + 29, total 39

secondary tentacles
Rolled 1d20+27 : 16 + 27, total 43
Rolled 1d20+27 : 6 + 27, total 37
Rolled 1d20+27 : 2 + 27, total 37

claws
Rolled 1d20+26 : 2 + 26, total 36
Rolled 1d20+26 : 18 + 26, total 44
Rolled 1d20+26 : 2 + 26, total 36
Rolled 1d20+26 : 7 + 26, total 36

gore
Rolled 1d20+26 : 3 + 26, total 36

wing buffet
Rolled 1d20+26 : 1 + 26, total 36
Rolled 1d20+26 : 8 + 26, total 36


Damage
Primary Tentacles
Rolled 2d6+41 : 4, 5 + 41, total 50
Rolled 2d6+41 : 6, 3 + 41, total 50

secondary tentacles
Rolled 3d6+35 : 6, 5, 6 + 35, total 52
Rolled 3d6+35 : 6, 4, 6 + 35, total 51
Rolled 3d6+35 : 4, 4, 3 + 35, total 46

claws
Rolled 2d6+35 : 3, 6 + 35, total 44
Rolled 2d6+35 : 1, 4 + 35, total 40
Rolled 2d6+35 : 1, 2 + 35, total 38
Rolled 2d6+35 : 1, 5 + 35, total 41

gore
Rolled 1d8+35 : 6 + 35, total 41

wing buffet (non-lethal)
Rolled 2d6+35 : 1, 3 + 35, total 39
Rolled 2d6+35 : 5, 2 + 35, total 42

But all this is further modified by a stacking +2 bonus on all to hit and damage rolls for each successful attack. The bonus maxes out at +5.

Finally the stealth check, modified to the blemish and larger size:
hide
Rolled 1d20+53 : 20 + 53, total 73 65

move silently
Rolled 1d20+36 : 1 + 36, total 38

[phaedrusxy]

As the first blow lands, the woman slumps to the floor but immediately vanishes as Cade senses a teleportation effect whisk her away.

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You guys can of course try to interrupt/follow/whatever. She didn't cast anything. Spellcraft/Know: Arc would tell you it was almost certainly a Contingency.

[HeadofVecna]

"This unworthy suspects that he is not the only one of us who tires of mortals hitting us and running away. Orghest knows that his proximity is a trial. But if his masters stay close, he can ensure that all of us share in Lord Marlowe's keen vigilance."

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Manifesting Zone of Awareness augmented to 10 min/lvl and 15' range at the first opportunity.

[Bozwevial]

Marlowe strides over to Cade, placing a hand over each of the fiend's wounds in turn as the burns fade and the bullets are pushed out by regrown flesh. "We seem to have lost Raoul...May I suggest taking a leaf from our erstwhile guest's book and using the Dreamheart to bring about his revival?"

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Assuming we're not still in combat time or I'm not interrupted, I'll start using Heal on everyone, starting with Cade and moving on to the people who got the worst of it and/or don't have an easy way of healing it off themselves.

[VennDygrem]

"Hmm, well normally I try to avoid actually going there, and Raoul is kind of a dick, but we do need him. Sure, as soon as we're all healed up, we're headed to the Dreamheart. Everyone stay guarded while we're there, though."


Once the group is ready to go, he gathers everyone together, as well as Raoul's corpse, and 'ports into the Dreamheart.

[phaedrusxy]

You find yourselves looking upon a massive, swirling vista. Large "bubbles", ranging from the size of a small room to some as massive as a whole city, languidly float inwardly towards its center. Within their depths, you can make out the distorted images of houses, fields, fires, animals, wars, and all of the other things typically seen in the dreams of mortals. Occasionally these bubbles pop, releasing a torrent of colorful energy which quickly dissipates, the contents of the dreams evaporating like the smoke of a dying fire on a cool morning.

However, those knowledgeable about this place know that sometimes those dream vestiges do not go so quietly into the night, and instead run amok within the Dreamheart for a while, threatening travelers. Occasionally, such phthisic's even escape into the mortal realms, becoming more than a dream. And sometimes, the nightmares of gods give birth to creatures capable of threatening entire civilizations... Rumors also speak of a portal near the center of the Dreamheart which connects directly to the dreaded Far Realm, and of a city populated entirely by the persistent creatures of dreams long past.