Against Darkness

[NJWilliam]

Shouldn't we keep the center of the dispel magic against the East wall so the giants remain stranded?

[Zhym]

If we want the giants stranded, we don't need to dispel magic at all. The AoE shown is meant to let us get at them with our mighty melee weapons instead of our wimpy ranged weapons.

[Sulara]

yes well you may want to look at hp before you loose them on us with a dispell, and the dispell I thought was meant as a way, with the obscurement, to get us to treasure behind secret door. Our mighty melee weapons?? (Ponder) thinkin that's not even close to all of us one of them almost killed you by itself by my count there are at least 4 there AND a shaman, doesn't seem like a time to rush in...

[Magnus]

Gang, a reminder:

5. "Tactical" discussions (e.g., disarm the trap or not, summon elemental or not, round-by-round combat decisions, alignment-fueled discussions) must be done in-character. Yes, this makes the game more challenging.

I started running the combat already and there have been too many OOC posts on the current scenario. As such, Gaerys and Hollis's actions are "locked in" (subject to the below).

I will assume the discussion above was IC. As such, I will let Hollis update the AoE to effect Antheris and Nia's stated plans if he would like by posting as such before I resolve the round.

Antheris -- are you going with your stated action above?

Niamah -- The Shaman is incapacitated, or perhaps dead, per my prior posts. Your character knows that from Lorath.

Rest of the group -- Please post your actions for the round.

[Sulara]

Sorry my bad, I had thought the female was the shaman I will, in the future post as stated above, IC, again, my bad.

[NJWilliam]

Antheris

"I will send the insects and call a mist then, those javelins did dreadful damage in the courtyard!"

Yes, going with actions stated before.

[Magnus]

No worries, everyone...just trying to keep things on track.

[Todd Spengo]

Tybalt holds position.

[drpete]

Ethan lets the others take the lead, and attempts to remain (or get) under cover while all this "parley"/whatever is going on.

[Eulalios]

"(giantish)Hold! (trade tongue)Hold! This is foolishness. We can walk away, and leave these giants trapped behind us. Why risk casualties on a distraction from our true goal?"

[Sulara]

"Treasure may hold a way to help a people stop the darkness."

[Eulalios]

"Very well. I'll make best use of my condition to scout southward, and hope to find you all well written I return."

[Magnus]

Round 1

Gaerys loses patience with "negotiations" and moves to attack, followed closely by Antheris and Hollis. The giants, having been watching the party closely and fairly anxious to attack themselves, move to respond at the first sign of aggression. The giants are able to move more quickly, thereby taking initiative.

The two giants holding javelins let them fly just as the party slides even slightly around the corner. The dungeon shakes with a thunderclap as each javelin explodes into a bolt of lightning. Each such giant draws a crossbow from its back...it seems that the giants' supply of the brutal javelins of lightning have been expended.

The summoned insects are vaporized just before each bolt reaches the party. Gaerys, Hollis, and Antheris are then caught in the concussive, searing force of the twin bolts of lightning.

The first bolt catches two of three party members within range with the full force of its effect. Only Hollis is saved from the worst of the attack by the grace of his Gods.

Gaerys/Antheris - 16 damage!
Hollis 8 Damage.

Gaerys manages to duck away from the worst of the second bolt, though even half of the energy of the bolt is enough to bring him down!!! The Old Gods continue their favor towards Hollis as well. Antheris, unfortunately, remains rooted in his spot and takes the full brunt of the electrical fury! The druid is left smoking and burnt.

Antheris - 14 damage!!!
Gaerys/Hollis - 7 damage! GAERYS DOWN!!!
Note that bonus to saves was awarded in all cases. Antheris rolled under 5 twice!

Hollis's Dispel Magic spell is spoiled, as is Antheris's attempt at obscurement, each due to the violence of the shock they received.

The remaining giant fires a crossbow bolt, catching Antheris in the shoulder with an impeccable shot. His leg starts to itch, and then ache with the signature throb of a toxin.

Natural 19! Antheris - 6 damage. Poisoned!!! (failed save...horrible, horrible round of rolling)

Heldga sprints across the room, firing a bolt wildly at the party. It shatters against the cover of the wall. She skips across the mud with surprising grace for such a bulky lass. Though slowed by the soggy ground, she manages to make it only a few feet short of the room's eastern exit. Gaerys tags her with two arrows for her trouble...though they seem to do little to slow her down.

Lorath converses briefly with the party, and then skims to explore to the south.

I will re-open the closed thread for you, likely this evening.

The remaining party members hold their position and take cover. Niamah sees out of the corner of her eye an unexplored door to the south open, then close quickly. Clearly, the thunderclap has alerted others to the party's presence!!!

Declare Actions!

*************************
Antheris: 39/48 [Poisoned!][-30 lightning damage]
Vorsyin: 48/48
Gaerys: -4/60 !!!!
Hollis: 37/50
Lorath: 40/40
Ethan: 28/71
Marcus: 31/35
Tybalt: 18/46
Nia: 30/33
***********************

[saalaria]

Ouch! So to clarify - the 3 of us are clustered in the doorway..one of course is an inert body? How easy can Ant and I move aside to let the fighters in?

[Magnus]

Ouch! So to clarify - the 3 of us are clustered in the doorway..one of course is an inert body? How easy can Ant and I move aside to let the fighters in?

One more person could fit in the 10x10 square and get through. Each of you could easily let the fighters through with a single step back.

[drpete]

Alright, I guess you only live once, right

Ethan will squeeze past, and try to jump the mud to get to the eastern door, where he will attack Heldga, or if she has already gone through the door, he will try to follow her through it.

To Hit giant with Frostfell (ThAC0 11) [1d20+6] = 12+6 = 18 damage [1d12+6] = 10+6 = 16

To Hit giant with Frostfell (ThAC0 11) [1d20+6] = 6+6 = 12 damage [1d12+6] = 8+6 = 14

[NJWilliam]

Antheris

Antheris steps back into the passage and uses his tincture of neutralize poison, and calls out,

"Is there a door we can wizard lock to keep anything from attacking us from behind?"

[Sulara]

"Watch to the south, movement from beyond a door." Niamah moves back, pulling her long sword she then goes into hiding. She pulls her cloak around her and moves toward the south door remaining hidden. The thief positions herself outside the door so that should anything come from the room beyond she may attack from behind.

[saalaria]

Feeling reassured by a fighter stepping up, Hollis moves with Ethan to attack:

mace Attack [1d20+2] = 1+2 = 3 Damage S [1d6+3] = 3+3 = 6 L [1d6+2] = 5+2 = 7

Oh dear!

[Todd Spengo]

Tybalt will move over to the south and watch that door.

If possible, he'll position himself along the wall by the door so he can watch it but not be immediately seen were the door to open.