Carla stays on Lucky's back and gives Matt a sad look when he mentions Carla sorting them out. She looks downward and ducks her head. She says *gasp* nothing.

  Matt is thusly armarounded by Angel.  "While I agree that we shouldn't run off on our own, Adam's saying so directly after suggesting you do just that feels kind of off."  Splitting the part Bad.  I'll split from the party as bait!.  Right.

  "Mittens as she said, can give us some outlook to the area ahead of time.  Though also while there is that possibility they might let Adam pass due to his..."  Wait, lets review.  Adam dresses akin to He-Man last we checked.  "Less specific outfit, the rest of us would still have to pass by.  I'm more inclined to stick together."

  Nevermind Adam had the bad habit of being the first to drop, or nearly dropping almost every fight they have been in.

"Lemme borrow your back a sec," Mits says to Matt.

If allowed, she'll take out a piece of paper and draw up a sketch of the area as she describes it:

http://spreadsheets.google.com...WVsaHFZNnc&hl=en

Angel ponders as she listens to Matt. "I know it sounds off, Matt, but he's not suggesting splitting the party. He's suggesting we stick together while some are hidden. Still..." she looks over the map. "If those bushes are any indication, I'll have plenty of cover to fire from behind."

Maverick and Carla don't do anything of note besides pay attention.

  Matt does not let Mittens borrow his back.  This is because Scale mail is a terrible drawing surface.  He does let her borrow his small shield though, much smoother.  "Of course, so will the Mage they have with them.  If the rest of them come to us that's fine and good, but I somehow doubt it will be that easy considering the path is something we have to pass, they could easily wait for us to come to them.  Though it is true that either way, you can cover us from there.  Unless the fight takes us past the bushes anyway..."  He eyes the map closer, then facepalms.  "Though considering I can go from start to berzerker face, I may be overthinking the distance thing."

OOC Style: *eyes the details for jumping over the 1 tile river* so... takes a result of 10 to jump past 1 tile (guaranteed for Matt's 10 Athletics).  or a result of 5 to jump past 1 tile with running start...  No sir, Mr. River says you need to do twice that or suffer.  I guess like how the Sun hates you more the higher your level, so does gravity ;D
This message was last edited by the player at 07:47, Tue 21 Dec 2010.

Mittens' player keeps imagining plate mail due to the many comparisons to paladins, but the map gets drawn and shared regardless.

"That's plenty of cover once we get to it," Mittens points out, "The bushes aren't taller than people so they can see past 'em.  From what I can tell, there's no sneaking up on them like Adam suggested.  The'll see us comin' from a long ways away.  Just won't be sure if we're just some random travelers who happen to resemble who they're looking for or the genuine article."

"Some reason I had expected more opportunity for stealth," Adam says, "So much for my idea of minimizing the chances of them knowing who I am.  So we approach together, but we stop before the bridge and talk from a distance.  Normal thing for a group of travelers to do if they saw someone blocking a bridge, so the fact that we're near the cover won't look that suspicious."

Lucky puts on a proud smile.  Well Maverick won't be seen approaching, he thinks, That I'm certain of.

((OOC: Looked at the overland speed numbers, and there's no way you can avoid the 2 square penalty for walking if you want to get anywhere in your lifetime.  6 or so squares of movement in 6 seconds (one round) is a brisk walk and is the assumed average overland speed.  12 squares is a 10 minute mile type fast jog.  2 squares is craaawling along.  Oh well. As for not jumping over 1 square rivers with normal physics, that's more game makers being too lazy to look up the rules.  Or the artist wasn't told to make the river wider.  Or whatever.  Oh well.  Not going to try and apply logic to this one because it's not worth the effort to fix. ))

"Oh wait...  I was prophesying from a third-person bird's eye view," Mittens says, "Those bushes ARE taller than people and block their view.  They really should trim those hedges if they wunna actually do their job reasonably well.  Oh well.  Good thing they didn't think to do that."

((OOC: Translation.  The player foolishly applied common sense and experience to the map and forgot that it says, "thick foliage blocks line of sight."  >.>

Just put your characters wherever you want them and let's get on with the next scene already. ))
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:25, Fri 24 Dec 2010.

Time passes and the heroes arrive at the area before the bridge.  The bad-guys are unaware of the good-guys approach.

Angel walks over to the rather tall bushes and readies her crossbow. Should the enemy attack as Adam suggested, Angel will fire on them with much fury. She is quiet and waits to see how Adam deals with this.



Readied Action: Evasive Strike
Trigger: You or an ally attacked by a creature
Target: Attacker

Note: Part of Evaside Strike is moving before the attack. So Angel could literally move out, then shoot.

Immediate Interrupt: Disruptive Strike
Trigger: Your or an ally attacked by a creature
Target: Non-minion enemy who attacks

inits for Ascention: Angel, Carla, Maverick

1d20
1: 5 + 8 = 13
2: 20 + 1 = 21
3: 16 + 6 = 22

Carla is doing as suggested earlier and playing the part of a sleeping baby. Eyes closed, wings hidden, resting in Adam's arms (Since Lucky is likely going to wind up hidden since, you know, a green tiger is so recognizable). Or Matt's. Whoever volunteered to hold her. She is ready, however, despite appearances.

Should her readied action be triggered, the infant-like angel would open her glowing eyes and shoot blue laser beams from said eyes.

Readied Action: Scourge of Heaven (Burst 1 in 10)
Trigger: Allies attacked
Target: Duh

Maverick lurks to be behind the bushes also, ready to step out if need be. But for now is hidden. Should his allies be attacked, though, he would rather suddenly step out from behind the bushes and throw a dagger at the enemy.


Readied Action: Deft Strike
Trigger: Duh
Target: Duh

Adam: 20+2=22
Maverick: 16 + 6 = 22
Carla: 20 + 1 = 21
Chainfighter: 10+9=19
Berserker: 15+3=18
Mittens: 13+1 = 14
Matt Initiative: 14
Angel: 5 + 8 = 13
Mage: 9+4=13

Human Berserkers (B) Level 4 Brute
Initiative +3 Senses Perception +2
HP 56; Bloodied 28; see also battle fury
AC 15; Fortitude 15, Reflex 14, Will 14
Speed 7

Human Mage (M) Level 4 Artillery (Leader)
Initiative +4 Senses Perception +5
HP 32; Bloodied 16
AC 17; Fortitude 13, Reflex 14, Will 15

Shadar-kai Chainfighter (SC) Level 6 Skirmisher
Initiative +9 Senses Perception +5; low-light vision
HP 54; Bloodied 27
AC 20; Fortitude 19, Reflex 19, Will 17
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:06, Tue 28 Dec 2010.

  Matt will ask after this latest batch of chaos is dealt with, when did Lucky go from being a Black Tiger to a Green one?  Though Angel Baby duty had fallen to Matt because Adam kinda needs both hands to dual wield swords.  It's a good thing he uses a Small shield because that means he actually can approach combat while holding Carla, but rules technicalities means he drops her the second combat starts because then it's a 'grab' and blah blah blah.

  The Blacksmith of a Party Tank approaches the bridge calmly, no weapon drawn because that makes things a touch obvious.
  OOC style:  From where Matt is, 5 speed can only reach the Closest Berserker (provided none of them move closer themselves).

Matt Initiative: 14

"Now beyond the Thunder Peaks," Mittens narrates to herself,
"The heroes are nearing their safe
haven. Coming out of thick woods and rounding a bend, they see
a bridge across a fast-running stream. On the bridge are three
rough-looking men carrying greataxes. Behind thick brush just
past the bridge stands a robed woman holding a staff and a paleskinned
elflike man absently twirling a spiked chain."

She takes cover and remains hidden.  She sees Angel's future attack and prepares to aid her.  Like she'll need my help, she thinks to herself, Oh well.  Worth it to better our odds.

(( Readied: Prophesied Strike ))
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:49, Tue 28 Dec 2010.

Lucky of course stays out of sight with Maverick.  Adam hid his sword between his back and his backpack, hoping that would help hide his identity, but he's on guard for a sudden enemy attack. (Full defense action)  He stops at the spot where Matt stops and hails the villains.

"Hello there," he says, "Is the road blocked for some reason?"

"We know you were with the group that defeated the guards in Saerb!" the woman answers, "Put your hands on your head and surrender, or we'll have to use force!"  ( mage bluff check 5 + 3 = 8 )

Adam blinks for a moment in surprise.  Mittens assured him that the enemy didn't know who they were.  Oh.  The mage is lying.

"Wouldn't putting my hands up be confessing guilt?" Adam asks in reply with an 'I'm innocent' pose, "We just wanted to pass peacefully, but we'll go another way rather than get mixed up in..."

"I'm bored," one of the berserkers complains, "Can't we just kill them anyway?"

"Only one of them is armed," the chainfighter points out, "And he's holding a baby.  Hardly worth the effort."

"But suppose they meet the fugitives on the road and warn them?" another berserker points out, "We can't just let them go."

"Good point," the wizard says, "You!  Did you meet anyone on the road?  They had a very important stolen scroll."

"I promise to keep quiet!" Adam answers, "And we only met someone if an imp taunting us counts..."

"Bah," the wizard says, "These guys are useless.  Kill them if you like."

The berserkers charge forward!  Maverick, Carla, Mittens, and Angel unleash their readied attacks, bloodying the first berserker before he can even reach Matt!  Seeing that the first berserker is intent on attacking Matt anyway, Adam charges and finishes him off with a devastating punch to the face!  The other two berserkers continue their charge at Adam and one of them hits with a greataxe!

(( All hit zerker 1!  Carla missed zerker 2 and 3.
Berserker1 HP: 56-14-10-9-14=9 (sadly, only 1 immediate action per turn, or angel would have finished him off with disruptive strike, buut...) avenging charge from Adam! -12 = KO and bleeding to death!

Zerker 2 missed Adam.  Zerker 3 hit Adam!
Adam HP: 32-14=18/32 Surges: 6 Surge Value: 8 ))
This message was last edited by the player at 22:20, Tue 28 Dec 2010.

"ROAR!" Lucky shouts, tearing out of cover then pouncing and clawing at the face of the berserker who attacked Adam!

"Mittens was right about you!" Adam shouts angrily, "Killing because you're bored!?  Friends!  They stand guilty!  No holding back!

He draws his sword and hacks at the berserker's leg!

"A tiger!" the mage observes, "It's them!  All of them!"

(( Minor: draw weapon.  Move: Loik move adjacent to zerker 3.  Standard: syncronized strike.  Hits!

Berserker3 HP: 56-9-9=38 ))
This message was last edited by the player at 22:17, Tue 28 Dec 2010.

(Theme music for this post: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbmjE6Xuos0 )

With rage almost equivalent to the Berzerker from Lodoss Wars, Maverick pulls out his sword and charges forward. His feet so deft and silent that the Berzerker he passes barely sees something move past him out of the corner of his eye. As Maverick passes him, he slashes the guy in the spleen before continuing towards the focus of his rage: The mage. That woman had the authority to tell his men "no" so he is 4 times guilty of murdering the innocent. With eyes piercing the Mage's soul, Maverick stabbinates the lady right through the stomach before he vanishes behind the bushes like a ghost. He said nothing. This person does not deserve words.

(Move: To F9)
(Minor: Unsheath sword)
(Standard: Fleeting Spirit Strike v Berzerker 2)
- shift to have combat advantage on the diagonal with Lucky
- attack, hit, 20 damage total with CA dice
- shift to E14)
(Action Point!)
(Standard: Handspring Assault v Mage)
- 16 damage
- shift to behind bushes
(Auto-Stealth: 16 + 16 = 32)
- Mav is hidden to the Mage and Chainfighter

(Berzerker 2 HP: 56 - 20 = 36)
(Mage HP: 32 - 16 = 16)
This message was last edited by the player at 02:52, Wed 29 Dec 2010.

Carla doesn't move from her position and just gazes at the Berzerker with those glowing eyes of hers (Go to 1:29 here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCLAduDXPpQ ). Terror fills the hearts of the Berzerkers as they real back in fear from the angel. She raises her hand and BAZAPS them with lightning.

(Move: N/A)
(Minor: Maledictor's Doom on both Berzerkers)
(Standard: Scourge of Heaven v Berzerker 1 and 2. Miss, hit.)
(Memory of 1k lifetimes! +4! Makes the miss a hit)
 10 dmg and push 1 square
The target also takes -2 to attacks until the end of your next turn.

COVENANT OF MALEDICTION - Push target 1 square. So 2 pushes! :)

Moved Berzerkers so only one is on Lucky and the other is behind his buddy and none are on Adam.

(Berzerker 2 HP: 36 - 10 = 26)
(Berzerker 3 HP: 38 - 10 = 28)
This message was last edited by the player at 22:47, Wed 29 Dec 2010.

"Now this is more like it!" the chainfighter exclaims excitedly before teleporting to the bridge! "I want first blood from the astral thing!"

It then slides forward as quickly and gracefully as Maverick did, but fails to hurt all three of it's targets!

"The hell?!  What are they under some kind of invincibility spell?"

(( Spiked Chain (standard; at-will) • Weapon
R each 2; +11 vs. AC; 2d4 + 3 damage.
M Dance of Death (standard; recharge z ) • Necrotic, Weapon
The shadar-kai chainfighter shifts 6 squares and makes 3
spiked chain attacks at any points during his move. He can
only attack a given enemy once, but he deals an extra 1d6
necrotic damage with each successful hit.
Shadow Jaunt (move; encounter) • Teleportation
The shadar-kai chainfighter teleports 3 squares and becomes
insubstantial until the start of his next turn.

Fail, fail, fail. ))

"KILL!" the berserkers scream!

Adam parries the greataxe being swung at him, but Lucky is unable to dodge his attacker!

(( Lucky HP: 38-7 = 31 ))

A strange music begins to emit from Mittens and she explains to the chainfighter.

"My friends are like the metal," she says, then begins to sing.

"You can't kill the metal.
The metal will live on.
Hobgoblins tried to kill the metal
But they failed, as they were smite to the ground!
Saerb guards tried to kill the metal
But they failed, as they were striken down to the ground!
Netheril tried to kill the metal Ha,hahahahaha!
They failed, as they were thrown to the ground!
Aargh! yaow!

No-one can destroy the metal
The metal will strike you down with a vicious blow
You are the vanquished foes of the metal
You tried to win for why we do not know

Saerb guards tried to destroy the metal, but the metal had its way!
Netheril then tried to dethrone the metal, but metal was in the way!
Hobgoblins tried to destroy the metal, but metal was much too strong!
Eye cult tried to defile the metal, but eye cult was proven wrong!
Yeah!

Metal!
It comes from hell!"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qR7U1HIhxfA

She fires an arrow that hits the mage in spite of all the cover she has!

(( Saga of Rivalry Hits!

Effect: Choose an ally within 10 squares of you. The target takes 5 damage at the end of its turn if it is not adjacent to that ally (save ends). The ally gains a +2 power bonus to attack rolls against the target until the end of the encounter.

Activated Song of Courage!  Allies gain a +1 power bonus to attack rolls when within 5 squares of Mits!

Mage HP: 16-9=7

Mittens: 13+1 = 14
Matt Initiative: 14
Angel: 5 + 8 = 13
Mage: 9+4=13
Adam: 20+2=22
Maverick: 16 + 6 = 22
Carla: 20 + 1 = 21
Chainfighter: 10+9=19
Berserker: 15+3=18

Readied: Use it if you need it

Rhyme of the Blood-Seeking Blade (Rolled a 18 total)

Encounter        Arcane, Weapon
Immediate Interrupt      Ranged weapon

Trigger: An ally misses with a melee attack
Target: The target of the triggering ally’s attack

Attack: Charisma vs. Reflex

Hit: 1[W] + Charisma modifier damage. The target takes a -4 penalty to all defenses against the triggering ally’s attack.

  Virtue of Prescience: The target’s penalty to all defenses equals 3 + your Wisdom modifier.
This message was last edited by the GM at 06:26, Wed 29 Dec 2010.

  Matt takes the opportunity given by Carla vacating his carry grip to facepalm with his shield hand.  If the Mage had a mustache, she would surely be twirling it and bragging about tying girls to mine cart tracks.  This was a strategically timed facepalm, because the pointy chain swinging for his face bounced off the shield now between it and said face.

  "Right.  Cut that out."  He comments in annoyance as he pulls out his hammer and whacks the Shadar-Kai right in the nose, before calmly walking away to rush to Adam's aid.  Sure, traditionally the Tank should guard the squishy blasters.  But Adam seems to attract more near fatal injuries than Wile E Coyote.

  "You, stop killing people I know." Wham. head tilts one way, rest of body tilts the other way, Arrow through forehead by way of Bard Mc Kitty seals the deal.  "Thanks for the song and arrow service."

---

Minor: Draw Hammer
  Matt Reaction: Parry And Riposte. Trigger? Chain dudes fail party (the dice order is a bit finiky, but charge was my 'readied'ish action so that's rolled first even I 'use' my reaction first.
  Regardless, Mitten's power applied to either would still make Matt hit, so it doesn't matter which one I rolled a 2 and which I rolled a 15 on.
  Move: Shift
  Readied Standard: Charge Berserker 2.
Fails.  Rolled a 2. 10+1+2= 13.
Mittens Gimmick is Go!  13+4=17, hits.

Marks: Chainfighter
Effects: Chainfighter Grants CA to Party Until End Of My Next Turn.

Mittens DMG to Berserker 2:  ???? Mitten's click don't show what 1[W] + Cha mod really ends up as.  Hardest part was looking up what a whistling songbow does in case it had any effects like Joe's own bow does for every attack ever.
  So, 1d10+5 DMG. = 12.
Don't even need to roll for Damage for Matt vs Berserker, Minimum damage would finish them off.

03:12, Today: Matt rolled 7 using 1d10+5, rerolling ones. P&R to Chainfighter DMG. [Reroll ones doesnt stop 2's. so go go brutal 2!]
03:12, Today: Matt rolled 13 using 1d10+5, rerolling ones. P&R to Chainfighter DMG. brutal 2 go!.

Berserker 2 HP: 16-12-haha=Dead.
Chainfighter HP: 54-13= 41

Matt HP: 40/40  Surges 10/10 Value 10
This message was last edited by the player at 08:59, Wed 29 Dec 2010.

What this group knows about Angel: She's really good with the projectile pointies.

What this group doesn't know about Angel: She can be nigh invincible in melee range once per encounter. Not to mention super effective.

With amazing footwork the likes of which was just demonstrated by Maverick, Angel hops over to near-flanking position when she brings her crossbow up to the guy's face and just as he brings up his forearm to block or at least push the crossbow away, Angel suddenly re-directs it downward and shoots the guy right in the sternum. Which point-blank, hurts bad and knocks the wind out of him.

But the Chainfighter is not deterred from swinging his chain with one last expert-like swing as if from his inner soul. Angel suddenly flips the crossbow butt-side facing the chain, lets the chain wrap around it, yanks the crossbow to force the Chainfighter to be AWAY from Carla, does an elbow to the guy's face before shooting the now-aimed-at-his-chest crossbow. It hits his heart and he falls before Angel unwraps the chain from her crossbow and turns to face the quickly dying enemies.

"Really? Lack of boredom is worth dying for?" she comments. "Too bad. I had hoped to play cards or something to take a break from all this hostility."

Is she being sarcastic? Who knows? Even she isn't sure. Though a game of cards DOES sound nice.


(Standard: Evasive Strike v Chainfighter. Miss.)
 Wait! Prime shot brings that 19 roll up to 20! Hit!
 shift 2 squares as part of attack.
 dmg: 26
 Hunter Fighting Style: Angel has AC 24 to opportunity attacks.
(Chainfighter opportunity attack: rolled 13. +11 = 24)
(Immediate Interrupt: Disruptive Strike. Hit!)
 dmg: 15
 Chainfighter takes -4 to attack. Now he misses me. Aww.
(Free: Centered Flurry of Blows)
 dmg: 3. Slide target 1 square adjacent to me.
 TOTAL DMG: 44

(Chainfighter HP: 41 - 44 = Very KO)
This message was last edited by the player at 22:07, Wed 29 Dec 2010.

The mage gasps and wide-eyes at her team being decimated in less than 6 seconds.  She fires a diversionary shot at the ones who she believes to be the most likely to stop her escape then makes a run for it!

(( Thunder Burst (standard; encounter) • Thunder
Area burst 1 within 10; +7 vs. Fortitude; 1d8 + 4 thunder
damage, and the target is dazed (save ends).

 vs angel and carla's fort
1: 14 + 7 = 21 Hit!
2: 12 + 7 = 19 Hit!

12 thunder damage!

Adam:
Maverick:
Carla: 30-12thunder=18 dazed (save ends)
Berserker3 HP: 38
Mittens:
Matt
Angel: 42-12thunder=30 dazed (save ends).
Mage: 9-5 Saga of Rivalry=4 failed save from Saga of Rivalry. ))