(011) The Expedition North

[waysoftheearth]

makofan wrote:
Caine saus "Cry Havoc! and let slip the arrows of war"

[waysoftheearth]

eris wrote:
Olaf continues to struggle...little good that it is doing him!

"Good bye cruel world!"

[waysoftheearth]

coffee wrote:
Dieter is in full rage and beyond rational thought; he could no more disengage now than he could flap his arms and fly bodily into heaven.

[waysoftheearth]

mushgnome wrote:
In a desperate attempt to save Olaf, Michele throws caution to the wind and fires his arbalest at the swamp thing, hoping nobody gets caught in the crossfire...

[waysoftheearth]

tombowings wrote:
Flewellen runs up into the fray and pulls Gustave away from the battle.

[waysoftheearth]

waysoftheearth wrote:

Caine saus "Cry Havoc! and let slip the arrows of war"

It appears that Michele, Victor, Padrig, Anwyn, Mads, Ulric and Fix are prepared to respond to Caine's call, and "let slip" a torrent of missiles this round...

[waysoftheearth]

tonneau wrote:
"Why of course my dear", mutters Gustave, gazing into the eyes of the beautiful young gemshop girl, "your sister is most welcome to join us...". He smiles druggedly as the blood dribbles down his forehead to mix with green mud as he is dragged bodily accross the ground.

[waysoftheearth]

heartless wrote:

Olaf continues to struggle...little good that it is doing him!

"Good bye cruel world!"

Padrig fears for Olaf, and can but hope the creature dies after the next wave of missiles.

"Keep firing! Hold on Olaf we will get you out!", says Padrig.

OOC: Can you magically heal someone on negative hit points back to life? Or is dead really dead?

[waysoftheearth]

waysoftheearth wrote:

OOC: Can you magically heal someone on negative hit points back to life? Or is dead really dead?

A PC can always be healed while he is not slain. Death occurs at -1 hit-point per level, after which a PC can no longer be healed.

So Taines (1st level) is beyond help at -11 hit points. Gustave (1st level) could be healed from 0 hit points, but not from -1 or fewer hit-points. Olaf (2nd level) could be brought back from the brink if he were to fall to 0 or -1 hit points, but not if he were slain (at -2 or fewer hit points).

[waysoftheearth]

waysoftheearth wrote:
Flewellen ducks low and pulls Gustave clear of the fray as Dieter presses his maniacal attack and Caine, Michele, Victor, Padrig, Anwyn, Mads, Ulric and Fix let slip their torrent of missiles!

Olaf may have but moments to live -- every second counts and initiative shall be rolled for all missile fire this round (1d6; Michele=6, Anwyn=5+1, The Foe=5, Ulric=4, Dieter=3+1, Victor=4, Padrig=3, Mads=1+1, Caine=1+1, Fix=2). And thus, bows are bent, stones are pitched and bolts are triggered, the barrage ripping the air asunder as Dieter's manic sword arm and the brutal limbs of the shambling swamp horror seem slowed by comparison to their terrible speed. Yet only Michele's and Anwyn's shot shall be resolved before Olaf's last breath might be crushed utterly from him.

Anwyn's arrow slashes a low arc (1d20=7) but deflects from a hard, flat of bark on the monster's right flank, and topples into the night harmlessly. Michele's arbelast kicks hard against him as the bolt rips the clearing air asunder at breakneck speed and punches through a leafy shroud beneath the monster's arm to then clatter off Dieter's shield! Neither missile strikes home, and poor Olaf suffers a further 2 hit points of crushing suffocating damage, as the fiend heaves itself about in an attempt to pummel Dieter with a malevolent fist (1d20=6) which smashes tumulteously into the ground mere inches from the enraged fighter as the clatter of missiles hail down upon it!

Ulric's stone (1d20=6) is cast safely wide of the melee as Dieter counter-strikes (1d20=15) with a back slash of his sword (2dd=1,2+2) inflicting a further 2 hit points. Victor's deadly crossbow bolt (1d20=8) also misses wide, but fortunately flies past Dieter too. Padrig whispers a faerie verse to his arrow aflame before loosing it with deadly, Elvish aim, causing the shaft to (1d20=18) fly flat and true and drill deep into the monster over where Olaf is entombed, such that the whole of the flame is extingushed (2dd=6,6) and 6 hit-points cause it to give a terrifying primal shriek! Mads too lets slip a leathal shot (1d20=17), thunking deep into the neck section of the beast (1dd=4) for 2 more hit points! The monster is filled now with arrows and seems in the process of splintering apart and toppling like 40 foot of tall timber, but still the missiles rain! Caine's shot (1d20=12) punches through its weakened back (1dd=6) for 3 more hit points -- surely finishing it -- and Fix's hurled stone (1d20=8) at last pocks harmlessly off its carapace.

There is a half breath of silence before an immense crash as the creatures legs seem to collapse beneath it, and the misshapen body thunders into the earth where it somehow remains standing awkwardly upright. It's belly cavity bursts ajar as it hits the earth, and the unconcsious form of Olaf unwinds itself from a hundred tendrils to topple out onto the ground at the base of the immense broken pile of slimey truss.

And then there is... silence.



By the grace of the Gods Olaf has -1 of 10 hit-points and lives. Barely.