TIME'S CHAMPIONS: THE FINALE (STORY THREAD)

Forum for the finished DM D&D game 'Time's Champions' run by beowuuf

Moderators: Ameena, raixel

Forum rules
Please read the Forum rules and policies before posting.
User avatar
beowuuf
Archmastiff
Posts: 20687
Joined: Sat Sep 16, 2000 2:00 pm
Location: Basingstoke, UK

Re: TIME'S CHAMPIONS: THE FINALE (STORY THREAD)

Post by beowuuf »

You can move sideways towards Westian to benefit from his shield and also try to snag a heal. Or Deephold is not the healing monster Westian is, however he can run you up some potions if you backtrack that way instead/awaiting the dwarf's presence.

Edit: And don't forget you have endurance, so 9 hit points more available if you need them as a cushion. Which you may just need! Who knew taking down the evil fighter big boss guys would see you so wounded :p
User avatar
Ameena
Wordweaver, Murafu Maker
Posts: 7515
Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2003 6:25 pm
Location: Here, where I am sitting!
Contact:

Re: TIME'S CHAMPIONS: THE FINALE (STORY THREAD)

Post by Ameena »

Ameena desperately moves away from the white-flaming orc-monster, scrambling across the altar and holding the wand up toward Petal.
"Passin is a friend! He's helping us!" she calls. "Here! Take this! You use magic, yes? So you know how to use this? We need the Soulstone from inside the altar and the wand can...pull things, somehow. Get up high! Get safe! Call the stone!"
Then she leans toward Passin, speaking as quietly as she can.
"Can you get the other fragment?" she asks, quickly. "From the...tower thing it's standing on. We'll need all the pieces and I know where the rest are!"

OOC - Shift away from Gholst/Dargat toward Passin but staying on the altar, so moving northeast if possible, otherwise east. Then passing the wand to Petal. Finally, a Stealth check to tell Passin to get the final fragment, since I'm right next to him so can speak right into his ear...WOOOOOT! Remember all those botches I got over the weekend? Well, here come da crist! So that's an Absolutely Epic Stealth roll, totalling 35 (20+15). Maybe Ameena becomes momentarily telepathic and transmits the message to Passin only, lol :D.
______________________________________________
Ameena, self-declared Wordweaver, Beastmaker, Thoughtbringer, and great smegger of dungeon editing!
User avatar
ian_scho
High Lord
Posts: 2806
Joined: Fri Apr 07, 2006 8:30 am
Location: Zaragoza, Spain

Re: TIME'S CHAMPIONS: THE FINALE (STORY THREAD)

Post by ian_scho »

Haynuus 'pocketed' the king's weapon and picked up Umgold's (?) old two handed weapon. It was made for a paladin of light and hope so he really needed some of that stuff right now. Next, with just a facial twitch from Westian, he decided to offer his last remaining empty flask (Westian already had one?) to the cleric. Sticking to him wherever he moved. His lips were already pursed for some of his lovely rejuvenating juices that only a half-elf virgin could concoct.
User avatar
oh_brother
Son of Heaven
Posts: 1897
Joined: Wed Aug 12, 2009 11:13 am
Location: The Screamer Room

Re: TIME'S CHAMPIONS: THE FINALE (STORY THREAD)

Post by oh_brother »

Seeing Daragt moving, under the will of Gholst, Westian was tempted to charge forward. Attack him, stop this before it started. But he had to be smart. There were people far better suited to that kind of thing already involved. He had to act rationally, not emotionally.

Looking at Garax he taunted the warrior. “Dargat is now on his knees, answering to Larethian, fool. And that foul priest is kissing the High Lords boots, begging for mercy. You will soon join him.”

Taking deep breaths to calm himself down he passed the flask over to Haynuus as he stumbled, bleeding, towards him. Raising an eyebrow at the state of the half-orc, he quickly prepared another potion. “Deephold, we need more healing!” he shouted across.

So if Haynuus comes over Westian will orientate himself beside Aurek and Haynuus. If I could cast a spell last round then that is what I handed to Haynuus (UM VI), and this round I make a LO VI. Otherwise I cast and hand an UM VI to him. Not standing directly in front of Garax, btw!
User avatar
beowuuf
Archmastiff
Posts: 20687
Joined: Sat Sep 16, 2000 2:00 pm
Location: Basingstoke, UK

Re: TIME'S CHAMPIONS: THE FINALE (STORY THREAD)

Post by beowuuf »

Haynuus returned the favur of being struck while distracted, wounding Garax so the man - despite his obvious pleasure at recovering his strange blade - was karmically repayed for it. Still, Haynuus could not press the advantage - everything that was not punctured was aching from blunt force trauma. Except his tongue, which he'd possibly bitten in to himself.

Haynuus moved in a tactica dance around to Westian, who was calling for Aurek to follow and moving themselves. Westian tried to ensure his shield stretched to aid the Trolins, currently the only ones engaging thwe two powerful warriors.

Garax's focus was drawn to the Trolin that dared wound him. His compsure broken for a second, pulling him back from assaultign Larethian's faithful. Garax's first blown brought Guree to her knees, and she barely deflected the onslaught of Garax's blades where she had fallen, blood in her eyes. She looked in a bad way.

Uumack smashed Gholst, determined to show no fear despite the ghostly fire starting to play over his own body. The orcish form was reaching for the murafu, but Gholst snarled at being struck - the first blow he had received since his death. Gholst reached out contemptuously for Uumack's club, grabbing it out of the Trolin's hand when the Trolin tried to strike at Dargat's body. With frightening ease Gholst swung, however his control of the dead body was not quite total yet. After being used to Theron's living body, concentrating on keeping a dead corpse upright by will was trickier. A leg gave out and the skull splitting blow sparked on the blue haze of Westian's shield.

It was strange timing that Westian chose that moment to yell his taunt at Garax. Perhaps Larethian was guiding his tonuge - or Westian's connection to the world was so absolute in his subconcious that Westian knew what was inevitable before it happened. Either way, Garax kicked Guree aside and his rage was once more focused on Westian and the rest of the group.


Over by the altar, Ameena shuffled out of the way of the strange zombie/hybrid/burning man/Gholst/Dargat thing. One thing at a time, Ameena moved to be further from that thing, and closer to Petal and Passin. Petal looked dubious over the assertion that Passin, the man that had stabbed her, was somehow now a friend., and Passin seemed just as dubious over everythign that was happening. Still, the proferring of the magical item seemed to distract for now.

"Wand of pulling, that is? Need it for now, I do not!" Petal said. "Use it, you cannot? Perhaps others need names to speak. Ask for the aid of 'OH' 'KATH' and 'ROS', the air, lashing out, drawing thigns ot you like a thief's hand."

Passin, holding the lid, had no idea still what Ameena was speaking about. Petal heard Ameena, despite Ameena knowing for certain she had barely raised her voice. It was clearly the strange connection the whole group had.

Ameena, hear me can you? Ability I have, to let you share thoughts. Speak words in your mind to to us, and hear them, we shall.


Ok, so it's not going to be as simply as getting Petal and Passin to do your hard work for you :p Still, Petal can natively cast pull, she just doesn't know what she is looking for in that bright madness - but she can get up higher for a better angle. And passin is closer, but cannot see it yet. So basically, it's still up to Ameena to try the wand again to get the item she knows about to at least start moving. So yeah, gimme another roll! Your assignments are good, so if you really ace the pull, Passin will be able to grab it easily. Even if not, making it move will mean PAssin will notice it, and he can silently pass that word to Petal, who can then add her own abilities to maybe pulling the stone up and out.

So yeah, it's likely to work this round, or at the very least get much closer. I decided your nat 20 needed some pay off, so Petal will start using her 'message' ability - not native, but something she would have 'leraned' from Falkor - in order to let you actually communciate telepathically with each other. well, for a limited time, it costs a 0-level effect per single back and forth exchange. Thanks for the idea :p



Falkor and Deephold moved across to come to the side of Haynuus, Westian and Aurek. They both looked determined, although the two powerful foes ranged against them - though one was bloodied, and the one had already fallen once - were still imposing.


Ok all, as mentioned in the OOC post, this is the 'update', still a little nebulous. Obviously you can react to Deephold and Falkor, and suggest actions for them - both still ahve a little juice left themselves, in terms of mana. Feel free to fully resolve your actions - mostly surrounding Aurek, your final positions, and what's happenign with all the healing - and then carry on with a new round's worth of actions!
User avatar
ian_scho
High Lord
Posts: 2806
Joined: Fri Apr 07, 2006 8:30 am
Location: Zaragoza, Spain

Re: TIME'S CHAMPIONS: THE FINALE (STORY THREAD)

Post by ian_scho »

User avatar
ian_scho
High Lord
Posts: 2806
Joined: Fri Apr 07, 2006 8:30 am
Location: Zaragoza, Spain

Re: TIME'S CHAMPIONS: THE FINALE (STORY THREAD)

Post by ian_scho »

Westian didn't even bother to stopper the flask that he gave him and Haynuus carefully guided it's neck to his puffed lips. Schlock! It was good stuff! But not powerful enough to stand next to an insane undead elemental possessed thang. We need more NPC's! came a bizarre thought to the half-orc's brain directly from his circlet. Casting it out of his mind he stepped 5' up to Garax (ohhh, and inside Westian's aura please).

"Take thaaat!" (2 points in power attack) (1d20+10=19, 2d6+8=16)
User avatar
beowuuf
Archmastiff
Posts: 20687
Joined: Sat Sep 16, 2000 2:00 pm
Location: Basingstoke, UK

Re: TIME'S CHAMPIONS: THE FINALE (STORY THREAD)

Post by beowuuf »

Sicne you have a two handed weapon now, remember you get half your strength bonus again, and then double the power attack bonus - one of those two has gone missing. So actually +10 damage for 18 in total :) )
User avatar
Ameena
Wordweaver, Murafu Maker
Posts: 7515
Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2003 6:25 pm
Location: Here, where I am sitting!
Contact:

Re: TIME'S CHAMPIONS: THE FINALE (STORY THREAD)

Post by Ameena »

Ameena is impressed by the strange mental-speech that Petal seems to have initiated. So much strangeness has already occurred since she's been in this underground place that the ability to have a conversation without actually talking simply becomes one more to add to the ever-expanding list.
She decides, therefore, that if they have a private conversation going between them which she knows no-one else can hear, she may as well try to explain as much as she can since Gholst won't be able to "listen in", she presumes. She tries, therefore, thinking words "loudly" inside her head whilst also trying to think them at the others, hoping that's how to get them to "hear" her.
If we put the Soulstone together, she thinks at them, then the Grey One will know what's happening here and he'll come and help. But if Theron dies then...then he'll turn into someone else and...and that will be very bad. One of the pieces is inside this...altar thing, down that hole in the middle. I know it's a very bright light but we need to get it out of there. And there's another piece, the largest one, on that...tower thing, over there. There are some other pieces but I know where they are and I'll get them when we've got these ones. But...Gholst won't like it. He really won't. So if we can get this piece, we'll need to be very, very fast in getting the other one...
Now having been told the words to use by Petal, Ameena stands over the altar again and tries them out, though still isn't entirely sure how to make it work.
"Umm...Oh, Kath, Ros?" she tries, gesturing with the wand over the hole to hopefully try and attract the hidden fragment. Again, she makes sure she isn't looking directly at it, so that she hopefully won't be blinded if the fragment comes out.

OOC - So it's Appraise for using magical stuff, yes? So, Appraise = (woohoo!) 23 (19+4) :D. Come on you little shiny piece of...shiny stuff! And then we only need to get the big piece...
______________________________________________
Ameena, self-declared Wordweaver, Beastmaker, Thoughtbringer, and great smegger of dungeon editing!
User avatar
ian_scho
High Lord
Posts: 2806
Joined: Fri Apr 07, 2006 8:30 am
Location: Zaragoza, Spain

Re: TIME'S CHAMPIONS: THE FINALE (STORY THREAD)

Post by ian_scho »

Upon hearing a second foreign voice in his already busy mind Haynuus realises that it could only be Ameena as-she-likes-talking-very-much-very-quickly-and-you-get-the-sensation-of-her-whiskers-touching-yer-face-when-she-talks-to-you. He shouts out in his mind 'Tower! Mine!' (as a child learning to speak it took him many years to learn that shouting was not obligatory and now he has to learn telepathy...). His plan was to draw Gholst to him by getting the stone from the tower, which would then definately draw the monster facing them away from Ameena, and then chuck it to her as he drew close so she could hopefully combine the pieces before Haynuus became pieces. It was all a very Monkey Island[+] plan but it might work.

[+] In orcish a Monkey Island plan is an idea that seems very contrived and very unconvincing yet would be great fun if it worked.
User avatar
beowuuf
Archmastiff
Posts: 20687
Joined: Sat Sep 16, 2000 2:00 pm
Location: Basingstoke, UK

Re: TIME'S CHAMPIONS: THE FINALE (STORY THREAD)

Post by beowuuf »

It's a spell between Passin, Petal and Ameena. Falkor could set up the same effect if you wanted, but you don't have it by default.You won't know what Ameena is planning explicitly, though you can guess.
User avatar
Ameena
Wordweaver, Murafu Maker
Posts: 7515
Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2003 6:25 pm
Location: Here, where I am sitting!
Contact:

Re: TIME'S CHAMPIONS: THE FINALE (STORY THREAD)

Post by Ameena »

OOC - Lol yeah, Haynuus ain't psychic ;). And no meta-gaming! I suppose Haynuus could take his eyes off the frantic battle in front of him to notice Ameena, Petal, and Passin messing around with the altar (especially if the bright-glowy-shiny piece of Soulstone appears into view), but he'd hav no way of knowing exactly what the three of us are up to. And anyway, I think keeping the Big Bad guys busy for now would continue to be a pretty good idea, since I'm pretty bloody sure that Gholst/Dargat will react a little unfavourably as soon as he realises what's happening. More so if he works out where the rest of the Soulstone is (meaning, the bits we already found)...
______________________________________________
Ameena, self-declared Wordweaver, Beastmaker, Thoughtbringer, and great smegger of dungeon editing!
User avatar
ian_scho
High Lord
Posts: 2806
Joined: Fri Apr 07, 2006 8:30 am
Location: Zaragoza, Spain

Re: TIME'S CHAMPIONS: THE FINALE (STORY THREAD)

Post by ian_scho »

OOC - I like the idea of distracting Gholst instead of hitting him, but I didn't realise that the spell was only for a few of you. We need a few MON fireballs from the Grey Dude asap.
User avatar
beowuuf
Archmastiff
Posts: 20687
Joined: Sat Sep 16, 2000 2:00 pm
Location: Basingstoke, UK

Re: TIME'S CHAMPIONS: THE FINALE (STORY THREAD)

Post by beowuuf »

Before you go too far Ameena, remember I did let you have the ability in the path of truth exactly so you wouldn't have this 'oh no, we have no idea x, y and z is happening. Haynuus won't know exact words, and he won't get it automatically - hence why you guys didn't know where the otherswere for a hile - but if you all concentrate you can know vague what's going on with everything. Haynuus, Westian and Aurek stepping back for a moment means they could 'sync up'
User avatar
ian_scho
High Lord
Posts: 2806
Joined: Fri Apr 07, 2006 8:30 am
Location: Zaragoza, Spain

Re: TIME'S CHAMPIONS: THE FINALE (STORY THREAD)

Post by ian_scho »

Haynuus suddenly stuck a grubby finger up a nostril to aid his own natural magicks in divining the whereabouts of the dwarf. Any race that enjoys dark and damp places must surely come out of the hole at one point.
User avatar
oh_brother
Son of Heaven
Posts: 1897
Joined: Wed Aug 12, 2009 11:13 am
Location: The Screamer Room

Re: TIME'S CHAMPIONS: THE FINALE (STORY THREAD)

Post by oh_brother »

“Leave the empty flasks behind!” Westian encouraged Haynuus and Aurek. “Brother Deephold – good to see you back! By Larethian we can do this, just a bit more effort. Prepare VI potions” he indicated to the empty flasks abandoned by the fighters “we are going to need them.”

With that he turned to face their enemies. “Whomever needs healing, back away from the fight! To me!”

Can I force feed Guree or Uumack a potion? If not then I hope they can take a 5-foot-step towards me if they fancy a breather. So Westian has one LO VI potion, and he left 2 flasks for Deephold. This round I am going to cover the fighters and with my action either: force feed a Trolin or else if someone steps back hand them a potion and refill.
User avatar
ian_scho
High Lord
Posts: 2806
Joined: Fri Apr 07, 2006 8:30 am
Location: Zaragoza, Spain

Re: TIME'S CHAMPIONS: THE FINALE (STORY THREAD)

Post by ian_scho »

Pop, tinkle, tinkle goes the flask.
User avatar
beowuuf
Archmastiff
Posts: 20687
Joined: Sat Sep 16, 2000 2:00 pm
Location: Basingstoke, UK

Re: TIME'S CHAMPIONS: THE FINALE (STORY THREAD)

Post by beowuuf »

Refreshed - a little - from the elixir provided by Westian, Haynuus moved forwards to reciprocate the actions of the Trolins, slicing at the cooly berzerk Garax while the man was fending off Aurek, and shoving the greatsword of the paladin Umgold into Garax's side. Garax staggered, greatly wounded, but his final stubborn faith seemed to overpower his body for the moment. The man stood and turned his spinning blades against Haynuus, taming advantage of Haynuus's distraction. Haynuus had tried to pull attention towards himself and fall back to the plinth with the last soulstone part, and quickly grabbing the LO potion of Westian's to drink. Garax's blades tore deeply in to Haynuu's side, stopping the orc's movement.and tearing open the orc's own side.

Haynuus recognised that Garax was being held up by no more than determination. Haynuus also recognised - as his vision started tunnelling - that Haynuus's own determination might be all that was keeping himself up too. And that perhaps, with his new found clinging to peace nor battle, he might not have the raw anger to keep himself upright any more...

Ooooooooouch, sorry! While Garax only comes forwards after what I assume is Haynuus's own steps backwards to the plinth (from where he can drin kthe LO potion) the warrior manages to Power attack against Haynuus, with two successful strikes - one a nat 20 -and means Haynuus takes a total of 39 hit points of damage! I have a bad feelign that despite all the healing, and despite Haynuus's Endurance cushion (a cushion Garax shares and had been forced down too) this might be the end of the orc in one set of blows :( As I mentioned in the OOC thread, death isn't the end of your adventure, the way thigns are going. But it certainly opens the door for this having a bittersweet ending as a whole. Nooooooooooooooooo Haynuus, nooooooooooooo.

Can you guys do the sums again and let me know if Haynuus is better than -10? My understanding is he's just under, thoguh of course i'll go through the IC and OOC comments myself to check.



On the altar, Ameena very quickly tried to indicate what was happening without anyone hearing. Of course, her murafu brain meant the who speech came out in a flurry, but hopefully the meaning was shared with this magical link. With the information from Petal, she tries once mroe to invoke the power. This time, somethign echoes in her mind. The runes - not only their names, but also what they mean, are in her head. It certainly does not hurt that her intentions are perfectly within the feelings she is trying to invoke.

Passin is about to ask what he is looking for, when Ameena suddenly feels a rush of something both unpleasant and pleasant in her body, It is as if her blood becomes cold water, shocking and alien, and yet it does not hurt. The rush down her arm does not them go, and her hand tingles as if she has slept on it during the night and it is numb. What does happen is that the stone Ameena instinctively knows the location and shape of leaps out of the deep recess. Passin is so shocked at the sight of it he does not reach for it, however now Petal knows where it is, so casts her own spell and the stone manages to leap upwards once more, just when it looked as if it would fall down into the depths of the altar.

Passin's hand makes a grab for it, catching it perfectly. The item flares briefly in his hand, and then fades to a dull glow, as if knowing its brother pieces are close.


Westian watched the battle unfold, glad that the dwarf had not fallen to the undead earlier. Deephold was already calling upon Larethian's aid to force healing waters to materialise in to the potions. Westian quickly - with a flash of guilt - ensured that the Trolins were being healed, and then moved forwards decisively to shieild the two fighters from the assault of Garax and Dargat.

@OB, I'd rule that they'd still take an AoO for being distracted, even if you did all the heavy lifting of giving someone a potion and taking it instantly away. You can certainyl to that, but it would not work out well. Allowing them to fall back to be healed is a better option, and the one we'll g with, In future, you could ready a standard action to 'feed' a potion to someone (lifting it right up to them, and grabbing it instantly back) that I would allow you to interrupt a movement of someone coming passed you, or give healing to someone that had used up all their actions.


Helm rushed forwards even as Ameena's success became apparent, babbling. "The ...the..the mage...Theron? The mage Theron, he...he said he saw you had the cloak. I think you. He needs the cloak. A cloak you have. The cloak!" Helm paused, looking shocked. "he's so angry and frustrated! And...I can hear screaming in my hears fro mthe girl, even though there is nothing being said!"


Gholst in Dargat's body swung the club idly, allowing Uumack to fall back to Deephold's side - more for a new weapon that helaing - while Westian had tried to heal Guree without success, for the Trolin had not fallen back at Haynuus's actions, and she was still trying - uncussessfully - to finish Garax with her needle knife. He winced and looked around, seeing Passin grasp the soulstone./ And seeing the group start t gather aroudn the soul stone's plinth on the other side. White fire came from Dargat's dead, black eyes, and all could hear the anguished screams of trapped souls throgu hthe living tattoes and shifting faces. Gholst himself through Dargat's orcish face, instead bellowed ancient words. They were words of power fo the Cult of Death, and the fire that surrounded him flares and expanded, as if burnign the very air around him.

Guree fell to her knees as it touched her, almost crying and clutching her chest. Westian could see the white of it flaring against the blue of Parethain's protective aura. The blue of it becoming paler where the fire touched.

Gholst laughed a simple laugh. as if seeing a child take a mistep and fall.

Ok, will stop there, mostly because I wanna know if Haynuus is dead or ok, and of course you now have stuff to react to because of that, the soulstone part being free, Helm comign across, Gholst's freaky fire widening, and....well, isn't that enough? :D
User avatar
ian_scho
High Lord
Posts: 2806
Joined: Fri Apr 07, 2006 8:30 am
Location: Zaragoza, Spain

Re: TIME'S CHAMPIONS: THE FINALE (STORY THREAD)

Post by ian_scho »

OOC - I've got him at -6 HP now, from 33. Maybe he can perform a heal check on himself to keep his bits in :)
I wreckon he HAS to finish Garax off this turn, losing another 1 hp, and then after that perform a heal check on himself... Will post tomorrow. buuut I don't have access to invisiblecastle so!...1d20+12=22, 2d6+4=9, 1d20+7=24, 2d6+4=13
User avatar
Ameena
Wordweaver, Murafu Maker
Posts: 7515
Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2003 6:25 pm
Location: Here, where I am sitting!
Contact:

Re: TIME'S CHAMPIONS: THE FINALE (STORY THREAD)

Post by Ameena »

Ameena is elated at the sight of the Soulstone piece as Passin catches it so neatly.
Here, quickly! she thinks at him, reaching out for the fragment. I'll take it! Now we just need the final one...let's go!
She is momentarily distracted by the arrival of Helm, frantically babbling about the cloak.

OOC - Hmm...right, first, if Passin will hand over the fragment Ameena will shove it into a pouch, but not the pouch containing the other fragments, since she doesn't Gholst knowing yet how close they are. As for Helm and the cloak...hmm, I said Ameena kept hold of it after taking it off, however she's used all four legs to run and climb since then, and I somehow don't think she could fit it into a pouch so perhaps we can assume she just dropped it nearby? In which case, assume she immediately points it out to Helm when he asks. Then she'll make full speed toward the plinth (making sure to leap down from the north side of the altar so she's away from Gholst). Can I suggest that if anyone already near the plinth is gonna decide to try and chuck that fragment over so I can finally merge the pieces, please don't do so with Gholst in his current position in case he tries to catch it or something. Not to mention the whole Scary White Fire aura thing, which probably now does even more damage or something ;). Actually, Ameena's runspeed on all fours is good enough that perhaps if you just kinda slid/rolled the fragment along the floor in a vaguely northeastern direction, she could probably leap onto it. If you can just hold off Garax and Gholst for a few more moments, hopefully I can get the bits put together and get ol' Grey over here to hopefully help out a bit...
______________________________________________
Ameena, self-declared Wordweaver, Beastmaker, Thoughtbringer, and great smegger of dungeon editing!
User avatar
ian_scho
High Lord
Posts: 2806
Joined: Fri Apr 07, 2006 8:30 am
Location: Zaragoza, Spain

Re: TIME'S CHAMPIONS: THE FINALE (STORY THREAD)

Post by ian_scho »

Pain. That was what the human brought him. It was his trade of course. Only... Why did it have to hurt so much? It was the path of a fighter that Haynuus had chosen, and one that he promised himself to leave behind should he escape this place alive. But despite all of this the half orc still stood his ground. And he did so as for one of the first times in his life he stood shoulder to shoulder with friends. He amazed himself that he could call them humans or trolins, dwarves or rat-thingies. It didn't matter. Even his dark history with his previous experience with trolins was forgotten in the light of their sacrifice in this final battle.

Sacrifice...

He would continue fighting Garax until one of them fell.

And if Haynuus survived this encounter it would be screamer slices all round.
User avatar
oh_brother
Son of Heaven
Posts: 1897
Joined: Wed Aug 12, 2009 11:13 am
Location: The Screamer Room

Re: TIME'S CHAMPIONS: THE FINALE (STORY THREAD)

Post by oh_brother »

So did Guree step back to receive a potion last round?

Westian, feeling drained, cast again the runes UM VI. A weakness spread through him, and he knew that he would not be able to repeat a spell of this strength for some time. As if to emphasise the point a racking cough convulsed his body, and he could taste blood in the back of his throat. He had never cast like this before, and it was taking its toll. “Haynuus!” he called out hoarsely. “Come back, carefully!”

So if Guree took the potion last round then I could refill it, and this round be ready to intercept Haynuus when (if?) he steps back? In fact if Guree used her action last round to drink the potion, then I could have filled up, and next round Haynuus can attack, move back and be force fed?

I took some liberties with the physical effects of over-casting, but since in DM low mana replenishes itself at the expense of your stamina I thought it valid. But that is just narrative, no need whatsoever to try to implement any of that into the rules. :wink:
User avatar
beowuuf
Archmastiff
Posts: 20687
Joined: Sat Sep 16, 2000 2:00 pm
Location: Basingstoke, UK

Re: TIME'S CHAMPIONS: THE FINALE (STORY THREAD)

Post by beowuuf »

Garax was standing on no more than his determination. When he saw the bloody and torn body of Haynuus doing it too, his eyes widened in shock. He could be forgiven for assuming Gholst had swapped bodies. Instead, Garax then recognised the same determination in Haynuus, and even in a twisted way recognise its source. Last time Haynuus had been struck unconscious, this time the hal-orc was in control of his failing body. Haynuus stood firm to fight for his friends. The Cult of Death perhaps recognised the power of that bond of trust. Yet they could never fully emulate it. Enlightened self interest kept the group together sacrificing themselves in the short term for their long term goals.

Garax had betrayed those, betrayed Dargat no matter his justification, when Dolo had offered a way for Garax to have greater power. Dargat had been betrayed by Gholst too, allowed to die by Gholst and cruelly used in death, not given a second life. And now, when each thing that Garax had clinged to had finally fallen, he could not emulate Haynuus. He could not sacrifice his life for Gholst.

The faces in Garax's armour were highlighted all the greater as Gholst's white fire now surroudned Garax. Garax turned as if to look for Gholst's aid, however Gholst seemed to make no move, still, simply stood regarding the murafu. Garax turned back aroun in fear as Haynuus strode forwards, and then was distracted as the souls he had willingly took on suddenly had a stronger voice for his lack of faith.

Despite Garax's skill with the exotic blade of his own making, Haynuus's simple and powerful thrust knocked it aside and took Garax's eyes. The man fell to his knees once more, but this time in terror. "Darkness! Don't you dare leave in darkness again!" he yelled, but anger turned to fear so quickly. "She comes...I can see her. She coems for us all, still..." he whispered, and then Haynuus took the man's head from his shoulders.


And there we go. Garax finally falls! Ameena and Haynuus got him close last time, kinda funny with more people it's been so much harder!

@OB, to answer your question, no Guree chose to stay where she was and attempt to strike Garax last turn. The good news is that this turn, with no Garax, she will stagger back to you, take that potion, and do all the heavy lifting with her standard action to drink it and recover a little. So yeah, you can use your own action to help Haynuus recover with an UM VI.

Ian: Regain 3d6 hit points!



Guree saw Haynuus in action, with wide eyes herself. She staggered from the fire, the apathy and demotivation leaving her temporarily as Haynuus's inspiring motions allowed her the strength to go for Westian's offered potion. Westian found his own strength of will, even as his magical reserves of mana were drained, making him cough liek the wrecked Dolo Smitre. The cleric offered the brave half-orc a healing elixer.

Westian then felt a hand on his shoulder as he sagged with the pain of it all. "Take this. You've done well, but you don't need to do it all alone." Deephold was offering a flask himself to Westian. The dwarf also looked tired, wrinkles showing around his eyes especailly that usually were not visible.


2d6 healing for you, OB! Deephold isn't quite the healer you are. Though I believe Westian hasn't been hit...yet...


Ameena gestured to Helm where she assumed the cloak would have fallen, after she had rushed around. Meanwhile, Passin had taken a step back from the group. The way he held the soul stone piece to his chest seemed to indicate that there was an argument in his own mind as to wherether to give it up on not. However, that was when Haynuus ended Garax's life. Passin seemed to make a realisation. He had seen Aurek's strength beat that of the powerful Dargat. And now he saw Haynuus, barely able to stand, swing at Garax even if it meant the half-orc's life. Haynuus's determination, faith, and willingness to sacrifice his own life greater than Garax.

Whatever residual doubts and loyalties had remained in Passin's mind fell away. Ameena was highlighted in the fires of Gholst, and the body of Dargat was already turning around to look at tye murafu and the ex-blackskull.

'Take it,' said Passin, giving the murafu the stone. It still glowed, flaring as she quickly secreted it in another pouch.

'Run, now!' Petal said to both Passin and Ameena, and then darted for where she had seen the cloak too, gesturing for Helm to rush back to Theron, and that the pixie would follow.


Over by the plinth, Aurek was the first to notice that the stone there had started to glow, as if the freeing of the final piece, or Ameena's intentions, or both, were making the stones react to each other. Falkor had scrambled across, hopping to see the stone too. "What's happening with it?" he asked in surprise, looking across to the altar and Ameena aswell.


Gholst, through Dargat's face, looked directly at Ameena without heed. "What are you doing," he said in a low hiss. Any hope Ameena had of Gholst not knowing what she was doing was shattered. Behind the body of Dargat, Guree had tried to flee the fmales, however they followed her, erupting over her and around her once more. She sttod firm against the effect as she drank the elixer, however they now caught Westian and Uumack in their illumination and flames.

Westian did not feel anythign physical, however she saw the faces of people he had known, some he had lost, and now others he had allowed to let die or killed himself. The Trolin King, Dolo, Tosca, Farel, all seemed to form in the shapes. Even if that was a trick, Westian felt that real trapped souls - those of Gholst and Dargat's passed - were actively screaming and crying for freedom. The burning pain of such evil Gholst not only tolerated, he was turning on others with more empathy.

Worse, where the flames touched another dead Blackskull - Drommal, Garx, and the dead blackskull soldier - the flames flares and exploded renewed. The spirits trapped in their armour, and even the abandoned armour of Thinpas - all fed the flames. More nd more spirits howled in the maelstrom.

Haynuus, having stood so firmly a second before, and now refreshed by Westian's potion, saw the old faces of the Trolins he had once been allied to. And the faces of those whome he had been forced to kill in that place. Umgold's sad, silent face flickered before Haynuus's eyes, silently judging the half-orc even as Haynuus held the paladin's own sword.

Aurek was at the edges of the flames that radianted from Garax's corspe, and once more saw the face of his brother. 'You did not free me!' it seemed to scream, before being lost in the chaos.

Ameena, ready to dart towards the plinth, was suddenly confronted by something far different. Not dead she had anythign to do with, but dead she had seen before, and would do anything not to see again. Helm's face flickeed up, grey and motted from his lingering death by spore, or perhaps from a death in the other timeline, where she had never seen the man again after their forest meeting. And Theron, his face was flat and lifeless, just as it looked when Gholst had snapped the man's spine in the other future.

"What do you think you can do, little thing?" came the derisive voice of Gholst through Dargat's mouth, and the sheer weight of the responsibility on her tiny shoulders was forcing itself upon her. She could even see herself in the fire, forever burning in the other plane, hideously in pain, her fur being ever consumed, all her friends let down by her inadequete actions. Looking up at the sapphire dome of the ceiling, it seemed liek a pitch black lid from inside the fire. She would never see the sun again, for this place was to be the tomb of herself and her friends.


Ok guys, if you check the map you'll notice that I've done a couple of new things. Oh, wait, first of all, congratulations! You have the soul stone pieces, Theron has the cloak and some helpers, and all but Gholst is now defeated. Technically, the encounter is over (hence, the initiative is gone from the map. Sadky, of course, it's always blackest before the dawn. Still try to keep your actions in combat time/methodology (sorta) for the last big push. Thoguh if you think something might not fit in to the timing exactly, jsut say it and I can fudge how long it will take in my update.

Sorry Ameena, Passin was delaying with the last soul stone part and was only really broken by Garax's death, so your ability to move out of harm'#s way was unfarily and cruelly taken away. Obviously, Ameena is free to move next round (technically the end of this round_ now Dargat has expanded his fire.

Anyway, looking at the map, you will see lots of shiny circles. For each circle you are in, you take 5 non-lethal damage this 'round'. If you are within Gholstdargat's inner circle, you take an extra 5 non-lethal damage.

The good news is that if your non-lethal damage equals or is greater than your hit points, you won't fall unconscious. The bad news is, you will act as if you are fatigued. That means -2 to all strength and dexterity based checks, and -2 AC) and you can't run/charge. Also, while you are in the fire, you need to make a will save, with a DC of your current non-lethal damage total. Failing the save will not stop you from acting, however I will impose some form of speed penalty to how much of your proposed action you get to do, or how fast you get to do it ahead of Gholstargat's next action.

In other words - most likely succeed will save, act before him, fail will save, act after him!

All clear? All confusing? I'll post the map momentarily, and then make a second post later after food (not eaten yet :( ) Regarding what damage I beleive everyone has just suffered!
User avatar
ian_scho
High Lord
Posts: 2806
Joined: Fri Apr 07, 2006 8:30 am
Location: Zaragoza, Spain

Re: TIME'S CHAMPIONS: THE FINALE (STORY THREAD)

Post by ian_scho »

OOC - Regain 3d6 hit points (3d6=13)!... -1 for the full action while bleeding to death and now -5 for the effects of the infernal souls :) That now makes Haynuus officially on 1 whole Hit Point. Cheers for the pot Westian!

Haynuus's stomach was beginning to slosh about with all of the liquids swilling around in there. They were wonderful elixirs, true, but nonetheless he was consuming a lot of liquid in a short period of time and there was nowhere in this place to take a quiet piss.... Maybe he could piss on Gholsts fire? It was magic VI piss after all...

Garax was down. And, it would seem, his spirit would have a long and tortured path over the following aeons. He never understood how people could go down that path, even though he was a half-orc of limited intelligence. He was sad again, but looking up he saw Deephold looking as preoccupied as ever and this warmed his half-orc cockles.

OOC - Can you take non-leathal damage when you are in negative numbers?... Hmmm. I'll roll a d20 to make a will save (1d20+2=5) but as he just healed himself I'm not sure that it's necessary. Will post after Ameena, maybe? He could try to bull rush the guy and knock him over if that helps, but 1 HP is 1 HP!.... And while he won't take any more of this -10 HP for standing next to him but all it will require is a brutal kiss. The only other thing I can think of is going over to Theron and slap him in the face.
User avatar
beowuuf
Archmastiff
Posts: 20687
Joined: Sat Sep 16, 2000 2:00 pm
Location: Basingstoke, UK

Re: TIME'S CHAMPIONS: THE FINALE (STORY THREAD)

Post by beowuuf »

Non lethal damage isn't deducted from your hp total, it just sits there as a comparison to your actual hp total. If it's greater, you shouldf be unconscious, that's all. But aww, you are one point away from fatigue then! Non-lethal damage to a character in negatiuve numbers would automatically make therm fall unconscious. This happened to you in reverse, if you recall, in the last Garax fight. I think you were still alive not auto-killed, but were knocked unconscious because of the non-lethal damage from earlier in the fight.

This time around, no unconsciousness, just fatigue. You guys are one giant nebulous hive mind and are all keeping each other going. That's the narrative reason for not stopping anyone acting in the finale :D
User avatar
Ameena
Wordweaver, Murafu Maker
Posts: 7515
Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2003 6:25 pm
Location: Here, where I am sitting!
Contact:

Re: TIME'S CHAMPIONS: THE FINALE (STORY THREAD)

Post by Ameena »

OOC - Okay, so, after reading the sum-up in the OOC thread I gather that I get to make a Will Save at DC 16, due to having 16 non-lethal damage but a +2 bonus to the roll due to being able to resist him slightly from that previous encounter. So...I'll do that now then...arrrgh knobs :P. Will save = 12 (7+3+2). Bollocks. So I get to move but then Gholst acts? Oh well, at least I can get to move...

BIC - Ameena cringes in the horrible white heat of the fire, shaking her head to try and clear the horrible visions from it. She had been about to dive for the floor and make a dash for the plinth but this interferes with her actions. She tries to push away the mental images that are assaulting her. This is Gholst, she knows. This is all Gholst doing this. It isn't really real. Because Helm is still alive. And Theron is still alive.
"If there are enough little things, they all become one big thing!" she shouts back at Gholst. "Lots of us can scare away a predator. And you're just another predator, even if you are on fire! And I have lots of friends here!"
Stumbling slightly, she movs to the furthest edge of the altar whilst transmitting a frantic mental message to Passin and Petal.
I'll get the stone! Go and tell Theron to...to let Karnadee go, and stop thinking that he did wrong because he didn't and if he can manage that then she'll be safe forever and Gholst will never be able to do horrible things to her ever again!
She doesn't know whether she thought all that too fast for them to understand, but right now the eis no time. She'd love to go and try to help Theron herself, but knows that right now there is one thing she really, really has to do. Even as she thinks the message to the formerly-armoured human she is leaping down from the altar and making her way out of the horrible fire toward the plinth containing the final, largest piece of the Soulstone. All she needs to do is get it, knock it off that tall tower thing and bring it down to her level so she can finally put the whole stone back together again. All this before Gholst can come and make her burn forever.

OOC - As noted in...erm...a post I made last night somewhere, Ameena will go north out of the fire and drop down from the altar, then leg it west and finally back south to the plinth. That's within eight squares 'cause I counted it last night - I think it was only seven squares and finishes her up in the square directly north of the plinth. So the rest of the group (apart from the Trolls) hopefully remembers that Ameena is carryng the first two (combined) pieces of the stone and at least a few of them must have noticed that she's now retrieved the third. And also that Gholst is probably Not Really Very Happy with her right now. So umm...anyone got a Root spell they can cast at him or something? :D
______________________________________________
Ameena, self-declared Wordweaver, Beastmaker, Thoughtbringer, and great smegger of dungeon editing!
User avatar
ian_scho
High Lord
Posts: 2806
Joined: Fri Apr 07, 2006 8:30 am
Location: Zaragoza, Spain

Re: TIME'S CHAMPIONS: THE FINALE (STORY THREAD)

Post by ian_scho »

Haynuus was all ready to sit this last bit out, he was barely able to stand up and was bleeding from many joints of his armour. But then he saw Gholst had 100% of his attention set on Ameena. Without a shadow of a doubt she was the cunning one that knew what was going on, what needed to be done and which ankle required a jolly good bite. Anger welled within him at the injustice of the face off. Magic versus nature, brute force versus a childlike nervous energy, anger versus friendliness, undead-interdimensional-nightmare-thing versus fluffy-cuddly-whisker-thing. It was not right.

And just as Gholsts magicks had threatened to overwhelm Haynuus with despair it was then his circlet awoke. It's power over his mind was not in the way it moved his limbs nor how it ordered his brain but it had a way of exerting in it's master a sheer force of will. None shall pass! it hurled into the half-orc's brain which truth be told, confused Haynuus a little as to it's lack of context. It was uplifting nonetheless but then it motioned a ¡Once more unto the breach, dear friends! which really rallied the both Haynuus and any imaginary friends that he might have possessed. Finally the last quote used was uttered in unison with the half-orc:

"¡yippee-ki-yay, motherfucker!"

And Haynuus bullrushed the orc from behind (1d20+8=17).

Unfortunately there was a decapitated corpse in the way. The advantage of the decapitation was that Haynuus could place his foot where the head should be without changing his balance during the sprint. The disadvantage was the blood and gore gushing out of the severed end meant that it was quite slippery for his unprepared goblin soled sandals.
User avatar
Lord_BoNes
Jack of all trades
Posts: 1064
Joined: Mon Dec 01, 2008 12:36 pm
Location: Ararat, Australia.

Re: TIME'S CHAMPIONS: THE FINALE (STORY THREAD)

Post by Lord_BoNes »

Aurek watched as the corpses on the ground burst into flames... "What is this unholy magic?" he wondered out loud.

"Falkor, do you have anymore fireballs in you? I think we're needing them." he questioned the halfling.

Then he spoke to all his nearby friends, "I don't want to go running in there with such a nasty blaze in our faces. We need another option..." then he noticed the large stone near him, on the plinth. "I'm going to work on freeing that stone. I might need some help over here." (1d20=17)

I've found my 'super-duper-ultra-leet' d20, w00t! :P
 
Image

1 death is a tragedy,
10,000,000 deaths is a statistic.
- Joseph Stalin

Check out my Return to Chaos dungeon launcher
And my Dungeon Master Clone
User avatar
oh_brother
Son of Heaven
Posts: 1897
Joined: Wed Aug 12, 2009 11:13 am
Location: The Screamer Room

Re: TIME'S CHAMPIONS: THE FINALE (STORY THREAD)

Post by oh_brother »

Gholst stood before them, bathed in an unholy light. The sight of his allies screaming shocked him immeasurably; their dead souls taken from the rest they had earned, and instead woken to pain. All thoughts of tactics and holding back went from his mind, and he shouted out wordlessly in anger.

Haynuus is charging. That notion grabbed Westian - the half-orc had always been a person of action, and now direct action was needed. Seeing what was planned Westian charged behind his friend, still shouting out in uncharacteristic rage.

Unfortunately his actions were more dramatic than effective. The body, the blood-soaked floor, the confined quarters, all added up to turn a dramatic dash into an ungainly stumble as he barely kept up with the charging half-orc.

So Westian attempted an aid another on Haynuus, but it was a rather poor 3 + 2 = 5. Damn you invisible castle!!!
User avatar
beowuuf
Archmastiff
Posts: 20687
Joined: Sat Sep 16, 2000 2:00 pm
Location: Basingstoke, UK

Re: TIME'S CHAMPIONS: THE FINALE (STORY THREAD)

Post by beowuuf »

The swirling spirits seemed to swallow the small murafu's words. However, clearly Gholst hears her, for Dargat's face crumples in to a sneer and Gholst's face pushes hard against the face, making the face of the bulky body look almost human. "A herd to cull," came the quiet reply that punctuated. The burning eyes atop the body were not as scary as the tattooed faces that screamed in terror, yelling for Ameena to run while she could.

However, Ameena's words were proven when Haynuus set his shoulder to the task of stopping Gholst no matter the cost. And Westian rushed forwrds to aid his friend.

Westian's slip mean he crashed in to the full force of the club Gholst held. The spirits flared and spiralled against Westian's blue aura even as the aura came under surpeme assault, beginning ot fail against the white flames and Westian's grogginess. The flare of Westian's shield had also warned Gholst of the attack, though at least allowing Ameena to rcover and rush off herself.

Haynuus charged to the rescue, first of Ameena and now of Westian, his mighty strength ready to smash Gholst in Dargat's body off the man's still-booted feet. Ghost though, now warned, planted one of those booted feet against the altar at his side and took the full force of Haynuus's charge in one of Dargat's still powerful hands. Falkor had - at Aurek's urging - stood on the edge of the fire and attempted to use a 'push' spell to aid the half-orc, but Gholst was braced too well. While Haynuus bounced backwards, Gholst then drove the club at Haynuus. An unsteady body and the slippery soles of Haynuus's sandals meant Haynuus escaped a crushed skull. With dismissive angry Gholst took his frustration out on the still groggy Westian, delivering a driving blow to end the life of the cleric.

Gholst turned to look around, surveying those who stood agaist him. Deephold had ushered the Trolins to make a blockade between the plinth and Gholst, though Uumack had not listened and rushed to Haynuus's and Westian's side, too late to deflect the blow against Westian inflicted with his own club. Guree fell backwards from the terrifying fire, hovering at the plinth ready to lash out at any who might come forwards.

Passin moved at Ameena's urgings with the temporary reprieve from Gholst, clearly happy to leave the burning white flames that reminded him of the evil he had almost committed to, and taken upon himself as a burden. The man rushed over to where Theron and Helm were, though Theron had apparently taken it upon himself to use his cloak, for Passin could only see Theron through the residual aura of sight. Passin's words seemed lost, Helm having to nervously tell the soldier that Theron seemed ot be beyond their words - or at least not paying them any attention.

Petal had already almost bnarged passed Passin, though not from aggression and dsisgust, even though she still bore the wounds fro mthe soldier. She seemed distracted and aloof, muttering something about the door close to them.

"Westian!" cried out Deephold beside the plinth, clearly torn in joining in the attack or staying back to guard the plinth.

Aurek meanwhile moved around to get out of the flames, and make way for the small murafu who rushed fowards to it. Aurek was still under the residual effects of the strength potion he had consumed, so it seemed. No matter what anchor the final soul stone p[iece might have had to the plinth, the paladin managed to take it from there with ease, putting it close to Ameena. The last piece of the soul stone glowed brightly as the other three pieces came close.

"No," came the quiet, powerful voice of Gholst as his eyes locked on to the last soul stone piece shining, looking through Haynuus. The white fire flared brighter and the souls screamed louder, all takign theirt psychic toll to those connected to the man's ultimate evil. He seemed immoveable, cruel, and more powerful than even those lined up against them.

"Westian! Deephold! The door...throguh the door, something comes, I feel!"

The cry came from Petal, as she looked in terror at the door close.


Teehee, Ameena called it.Not saying anything is burstign through yet but, you know...

Anyway, Ameena and Aurek are messign aroudn with Soul stones, I don't think Westian is dead but he might be in a terrible way, and otherwise you've got some of you guys directly tied up with stopping Gholst reacting, and Falkor and Guree on the edges ready to help as they can. And it soudns like Petal might need Helm and Passin any second now, while Theron is still distracted.

Anyway, mechanicss stuff. OB, sorry, decided to have your offer for aid another - even thoguh it didn't work - at leats allow Haynuus some aid, and so I decided you drew the share of attacks. No AoO generated for the aid another, just two natural hits narratively shuffled around. His weakest attack ended up critting, oops! Sorry! Anyway, so a low power attack and huge strenght, and two strikes, leaves us at a nasty case of 27 hit poitns damage. How is Westian looking?

Also, I'll say the shield will also buffer some of the white fire, so Westian and Haynuus only take 5 non-lethal damage each from Gholst's aura, instead opf the full 10. Uumack will still take 5, the shield won't be that powerful as to negate the aura of doom!
Post Reply