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Beneath the Invisible Tower

Started by Abyssal Maw, March 05, 2009, 10:06:38 AM

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Drohem

Fargrim looks at Ridcully blankly for a moment and then says, "a dragon you say.  We should certainly be cautious.  So, it's agreed.  We make for the tower ruins."

Sigmund

"Yep, he had two wings, two legs, a big tail with a stinger thingie, and a big mouth full of big teeth, and he was flying around in circles a bit, then flew that way.", Ridcully says as he points vaguely in the direction of the tower. "I'm ready, let's go.", he says and he starts walking off in the direction he just pointed.
- Chris Sigmund

Old Loser

"I\'d rather be a killer than a victim."

Quote from: John Morrow;418271I role-play for the ride, not the destination.

Abyssal Maw

Your group gathers your gear and heads off towards the center of the blight, crossing the tea tree orchard. When you reach the outskirts you can see that the edge of a stone garden wall has been tumbled as if by some powerful blast, and several dead trees are blown over (all in one direction, they are laying on their sides) and mouldering into the blackened earth as well.

Finally, you reach the blight itself.

There is no vegetation at all here-- the earth is black and soft- moist, but not fertile. Stones and sharp rocks litter the area in places, and there are strange pools of a black tar-like oil and filth that have a foul smell to them. Occasionally, you pass by a jutting bone or skull.. and after a bit of investigation you determine that there are orc bones in the area.

In the distance you can see the edge of the ruins, on the horizon, still a few miles out.

.
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....

   ....

After much walking you come to a shallow basin where a rough path starts, that seems to lead to the ruins. The path is not very well defined, but it is obvious that a group has been using it to circle the ruins, and it heads back south towards the valley's edge.

Both Fargrim and Edwena suspect orcs... just from the look of the path.

Your group follows the path for a while when you see the "camp"--

Just outside the ruins- you find yourselves crouched, unseen, on a low hill overlooking what looks like a massive ditch. The remaining walls of the tower- which you can now see are blackened stone decorated with a gargoyle motif rise behind the ditch, and extend down into the ground. Crumbling wedge-works and archways and twisted metal from some kind of spidery-looking alien apparatus are piled into a nearby junk heap of some sort.

So the tower itself is almost completely destroyed--   lots of rubble. There is no visible entrance on the ground floor, but in the ditch, they seem to have dug their way down to a crude cave-like opening in the blackened earth.
Standing on either side of the cave opening is an orcish guard armed with a belly-bow.  A third orc-- what looks like an orc anyhow, stands off to ne side-- his skin is tattooed with a myriad of spirals and interlocking designs, and his hair is dyed bright magenta. The freakish orc is off to one side.. talking to the archers.. but you are too far away to hear anything. He is armed with a greataxe.

From your hidden vantage point you can also see an ominous humanoid figure dressed in filthy purple robes directing an excavataion on the far side of the ditch. He seems to be commanding a group of shovelers.. more orcs, by the look of them. But these orcs are shirtless, clad in only rags, and even from a distance they look to have been horrifically injured. They move with a lurching stiffness that seems unnatural- Edwena  thinks they may be zombies.

OOC: This is a large complicated group and setup-- so I'll break it down:

Standing inside the ditch, near the opening to the tower ruins:
2 orcish archers
1 orcish freak

Standing off to the edge- inside the ditch, working on digging it out:
4 zombie orcs, armed with shovels.

Standing just atop the ditch directing the shovelers with his back turned to you: the purple-robed figure.

There is a large ditch, about 20' deep at it's highest spot, but accessible through a shallow dirt ramp.

There is a large pile of junk and rubble nearby that could let you get closer.

There is a small section of rubble nearby which might allow a single character to hide behind or get closer.
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DeadUematsu

Shroom looks, "Purple...that's an inauspicious color..."

OOC: Making an Arcana check to determine whether it has any arcane significance.

Arcana Check (1d20+11=22)
 

Abyssal Maw

Quote from: DeadUematsu;293415Shroom looks, "Purple...that's an inauspicious color..."

OOC: Making an Arcana check to determine whether it has any arcane significance.

Arcana Check (1d20+11=22)

The purple itself isn't of arcane significance, but the way he commands the zombie shovelers is.. you recognize the flourish of an accomplished necromancer.
Download Secret Santicore! (10MB). I painted the cover :)

Drohem

OCC- Are the two groups close enough to hear it of one group was attacked?  If we attacked the necromancer and the zombies, would the orcs at the cave entrance automatically be alerted?  Is there a chance that they might not hear an attack right away?

Abyssal Maw

Quote from: Drohem;293430OCC- Are the two groups close enough to hear it of one group was attacked?  If we attacked the necromancer and the zombies, would the orcs at the cave entrance automatically be alerted?  Is there a chance that they might not hear an attack right away?

If you attack one group- they will all be alerted.. they are close enough to where it would be obvious. The orcs seem to be guarding the entrance, and the diggers are excavating about 40' from the entrance. Both groups are  easily in sight of each other.

However, there are three directions to attack from (and you guys may have other plans). Here are some options:

1. You could launch your attacks at the orcs guarding the entrance, and it would take a full round for the zombie group to get over there.

2. You could launch your attacks at the diggers, and the orcs would have a full round to arrive, if they chose to run over and battle. Note that 2 of the orcs are armed with belly-bows-- these are oversized crossbows that hang from harnesses around their waists. So they may not bother to run over, they might just shoot at you. Your instinct tells you.. those mini-ballistas could do a lot of damage.

3. You could run right up the middle and at that point it would be chaos, but close enough for everyone to be fighting all at once.

4. You might be able to ambush the necromancer- he is closest, or push him over the ledge into the ditch. (20' drop), which will buy you a round as the necromancer (if he survives..) comes back around with the zombies and the orcs in a unified group.. but this has the same effect as plan #2- the orcs will probably start shooting, or they may alert reinforcements.

5. If you had good missile attacks, you might be able to buy a round of time by attacking and then backing up around the junk heap I mentioned, but that round might also be a round the orcs spend getting help.
 
6. Any other plans?
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Drohem

Fargrim slides back down their side of the low hill and whispers to his companions, "this is going to be a tough, but our options are limited.  If we try to ambush the necromancer and it fails, then we'll have to engage him and zombie while being peppered by the orcs.  We can't risk it.  I think that our best option is to get as close as possible to the orc guards, and then launch a surprise attack.  We take them down as quickly as possible, and then be ready to engage the necromancer and zombie orcs as they come to relief the entrance guards.  I really don't see another way.  What do you think?"

DeadUematsu

Shroom coughs, "Sounds like the plan least likely to fail."
 

Abyssal Maw

As far as Shroom is concerned: He can catch all three orcs in a small explosion if he aims it right. he can catch all four zombie shovelers in an explosion if he aims it right. The necromancer stands alone.
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Sigmund

#205
Ridcully whispers, "I'm with you Fargrim." He readies a dagger to throw, and prepares to follow the dwarf into battle.

OOC:

Initiative = 17

1st attack:
First will be a ranged attack with a thrown dagger at the left orc archer = 17, damage = 6, 14 if I beat his init.
- Chris Sigmund

Old Loser

"I\'d rather be a killer than a victim."

Quote from: John Morrow;418271I role-play for the ride, not the destination.

Abyssal Maw

ok, initiative rolls! and a general combat strategy...
Download Secret Santicore! (10MB). I painted the cover :)

DeadUematsu

Shroom clicks his teeth, surprised by the halfling's sudden movement, "Wait a second, I was not ready! Oh nevermind!" He moves forward and then throws out a Force Orb hoping to decimate the monstrous undead. Assuming he's still alive, he will then move back, covering his flight with a shot of thunderwave and a magic missile.


OOC: I will be using Force Orb regardless of allies being caught in the AoE - assuming that becomes the case.


Init (1d20+1=8)

Force Orb Primary Attack (1d20+3=17)

Force Orb Secondary Attacks (1d20+3=22, 1d20+3=23, 1d20+3=9, 1d20+3=7, 1d20+3=15, 1d20+3=19, 1d20+3=9, 1d20+3=15)

Thunderwave Attack (1d20+3=7, 1d20+3=10, 1d20+3=10, 1d20+3=20, 1d20+3=11, 1d20+3=4, 1d20+3=11, 1d20+3=16, 1d20+3=13)

Magic Missile Attack (1d20+3=18)

Force Orb Primary Attack Damage (2d8+3=14)

Force Orb Secondary Attack Damage (1d10+3=12)

Thunder Wave Attack Damage (will push target back 3 squares if it hits) (1d6+3=6)

Magic Missile Attack Damage (2d4+3=9)
 

Drohem

#208
Bolstered by Ridcully's steadfastness, Fargrim charges forth from their hiding spot behind the rubbish heap, and slams full bore into the magenta-haired orc swinging his double axe.

----------------------------------------------

OOC:
Fargrim's Initiative check = 16

Standard Action
Fargrim's Bell Ringer attack hit Fortitude 26 doing 3 damage and target is dazed until the end of Fargrim's next turn.  Fargrim also gains 3 temporary hit points.

Free Action
Fargrim uses his Action Point to gain an extra Standard Action this round.

Standard Action
Fargrim's Knee Breaker attack hit AC 18 for 16 damage.  If hit, target is slowed (save ends).  If the target is already slowed, it is instead immobilized (save ends).  Also, Fargrim gains 3 temporary hit points. If missed, then half damage only.  I forgot, this attack is at +2 attack due to combat advantage from being hit by the Bell Ringer attack (I hope the orc doesn't have a 27 Fort!), and so it really hit AC 20.

Abyssal Maw

OOC: I'm about to go to lunch with the girlfriend...but since we don't have initiative from everyone yet I'm going to go ahead and roll it myself:

For those of you that got your init rolls in already, I'll even boost them by +2! and let you act in the surprise round...

Edwena 20
Ridcully 19
Fargrim 18
Shroom 10
Vathalin 10

Most of you are targeting the orcs, and Fargrim is charging them. Shroom explicitly said he was going to force orb the undead, which is the shovelers. For those of you who rolled init, you have a surprise round. Then we go into regular rounds.

Starting with Ridcully-- he stands up and runs foward down the embankment, hurling his dagger.. which catches the archer on the left in the neck. Blood splashes out at his companion, and the other orcs look up surprised.

Fargrim rushes past Ridcully and slams into the orc with the mohawk with a powerful shoulder slam... He follows that up with sideways chop, leaving the tattooed orc bloodied as well.

Shroom launches a force orb at the four orcish zombies off to the right, and catches all four in an explosion and leaves the area covered in dust as mud and dirt rain down on the area.

When the dust clears, only a single zombie is left standing, and he drops his shovel, as he looks up towards the direction of the attack.

===OOC===
The orcish archers are lightly armored, and Ridcully's 17 hits. he also gets sneak attack damage (total of 14). So the first archer goes from 26 to 12, and he's bloodied. The other archer is still at 26 hp.

Fargrims bell ringer leaves the orc freak dazed, and he action points to hit him again, leaving the orc at 19 hp (which is exactly bloodied).

Shroom's force orb hit the primary and first two secondary targets- and the zombies are minions.
Download Secret Santicore! (10MB). I painted the cover :)