(057) Dawn Patrol

[doctorx]

Josiane to Wen: "Go! I'll cover you!"

She will let the elf descend the rope first, her shield ready to defend them against the eyebeams of the Tar Monster.

She casts her grey eyes around the scene of the battle, attempting to take stock of the current situation...

[waysoftheearth]

Dieter comes loping around the bell tower to join Dorgan, Beringar on the wall; judging by the crashing din and billowing cloud of rising dust, the tar fiend is not far behind--and is making a genuine mess of the wall structure.

Dieter runs his silver sword thru the held werewolf, then Beringar pushes it over the edge into the cloud-filler courtyard bellow (where it lands with a heavy thump) while Dorgan searches and calls for Gustave, but there is no reply forthcoming. Where is he?

Wen scampers to the nearest rope and then over the edge of wall, heading for the relative safety of the orchard as quickly as he is able while Josiane shields his retreat.

Then the tar fiend hauls itself around the outside of the bell-tower causing the whole structure to wobble, and takes a thudding step into view of those in the orchard and still upon the wall. Its glistening elephant-foot breaks up the stones and sinks almost knee deep into the wall as it takes a step and hoves more completely into view in its pursuit of these miscreants.

A faint, red plane of light flicks to and fro through the churning dust as its eye acknowledges each potential target, then locks onto Dieter once more and issues the lethal burning ray! Ogreslayer is ready, however, and merely turns side-on to the beast for the half-moment it takes for the scorching beam to pass through his position and disintegrate a chunk of rock which Wen only just climbed over!

| Initiative is Diced
1d6: players=5, tar fiend=2

Dieter automatically hits the last held werewolf; 2d6=11! slays it.

Dice to determine who the tar fiend will target: 1d6: 1-2=someone in orchard, 3=Dieter, 4=Dorgan, 5=Josiane, 6=Berigar. 1d6=3, it's Dieter again!

Dieter saves vs wands/rays 1d20=15! Saves again. This guy is good. |


What next?

[danhem]

As the head of the tar fiend came into view over the top of the wall, Ulric cursed under his breath. Lacking any ability to strike the metal beast, Ulric moved behind the stoutest tree he could find.

"Does anyone else have any rope and grappling hooks?" he asked those in the orchard. "We need to get back in an press our attack."

[mgtremaine]

Wen lands and glances at the oncoming wreckage. "I'd say the beast will come out after us before long, no need to go back to fight it. If we mean to destroy it here and now pick the spot of your last stand."

Wenwould wait for Josiane to make her way down before moving away from the wall.

[flightcommander]

Armando assists Wen in descending the rope.

[mushgnome]

Pleased with his handiwork, Highbough descends the tree to rejoin the others. "Lure it into the orchard! Its power diminishes the farther it gets from the portal."

[sully]

Hearing no response from Gustave, Dorgan will reluctantly agree that it's time to go, for now.

He will cover the others' descent off the wall into the orchard, even Dieter (who's taken too many chances in defense of his comrades already).

[Olroda]

Beringar will try to climb down into the orchard as quickly as possible.

[Eris]

Ulric pulls back away from the wall and into the cover of the trees.

"We must prepare a defense in case those were-creatures come over the wall!" he says to the others. "I have two more spells that may be useful at a distance. If we're lucky we can draw our foes into the open where our numbers will be more effective."

"Failing that we should attack another part of the wall. Perhaps the gate? Dieter could leap over the wall and open it from the inside for the rest of us."

Ulric draws his silver dagger.

"Who needs a silvered weapon?"

"I have silvered arrows." Olaf calls back, "But they don't do much good if the monsters get up too close, and I don't think *any* kind of arrow is going to do much good against that fire demon. What it needs is a dousing in clean water! "

Olaf looks around quickly, "Are we all here?" he asks.

[Eris]

"Pull the Fiend from the wall!", Olaf shouts.

He grabs a grappling hook and rope, he runs through the trees, keeping to cover as much as possible. Once up to the wall, Olaf casts the hook up at the Tar Fiend's legs, trying to tangle the hook and the rope with its legs. He'll then pull with all his might hoping to cause it to stumble and fall from the wall. Something that heavy should take a nice hard fall if we can cause it to happen!