The Mercenary clambers over the table, stops by a chair, and buries a crossbow bolt right between the chainfighter's ribs.  "Running away and trying to stab us is not surrender, no."

Move: duh/
Standard: M weaopon vs chainfighter. Hits thanks to Tim.  17 DMG.
M weapon buff to everyone but Tim.  +1 to hit +3 DMG rolls
+6 HP to Kyle.

Chainfighter HP: 2 left.
Kyle HP: 33(+4)+6=   39(+4)/49

Raichel steps over and thrusts her hands to either side of her in a somewhat martial-artsy pose, shooting lightning at both enemies at once! ZAAAAP! down goes the chain dude. ZAAAAP! the Dark Haunter doesn't go down, but he's hurtin'.

---

Move: To get a good shot at Dark
Lightning Strike v Dark. Hit(25)!
 dmg: 12+3(Kyle)=15
 dmg to chain dude: 4

Chain HP: 2 - 4 = KO
Dark HP: 24 - 15 = 9

Timothius is angered to tears as he slowly looks over his shoulder with a frown. He throws a ball of white fire that burns the dark one!

---

Sacred Flame v Dark. Hit(27)!
 dmg: 8

Dark HP: 9 - 8 = 1

Zap!  Down goes the non-surrendering dark one.  Mits immediately goes to comfort cuddle her teary-eyed bro.

"Well that was annoying," Mits says, "Part of me had a feeling I shoulda rushed over to block the door if only to prevent the switch pulling, let alone opening the door for reinforcements.  So will you allow that next time, May?"

  "If we had to do this fight over, they would still be heard yelling, the ghost would still come through the wall, and it would be you getting facepunched instead of Timothius, that is all." Mittens wasn't any stronger than Tim, so not like she would have had any better luck keeping it blocked off than the cleric had.

  "As for the trap, they could have turned it on even with you standing in front of it.  But a general mindset of preventing known traps is good, so long as you don't get hurt even worse in the process."

Timothius is speechless for about 6 seconds, but then slinks against Mittens and lets out a breath. "Let's rest while we can. We might not get another chance."

He sits down and laces his hands together, getting into a prayer posture.

Raichel nods and sits in one of the chairs.

May closes the door and sits at the base of the door to block it from being opened. "Is there a way to block out ghosts so I don't attack you all again? That is really really annoying. Sure, I manage just enough willpower to not actually hit you guys, but I keep feeling like that's more luck than actual will..."

Timothius briefly opens his eyes to send another wave of healing to his allies then continues to rest.

"None that I know of," Mits answers May, "Beyond very powerful magical necklaces."

She shares a whispered prayer with Timo, kisses the top of his head, and explores the floor once May allows her.  She reports back her findings:

If the PCs take a few minutes to examine the
books the gloomblade was retrieving or the scrolls
and books the witch was working with, they find
confirmation of the dark research going on here.
Sarshan’s long-term plans involve breeding advanced
races of warrior-slaves to be sold to the highest bidder.

4. Guest Quarters (Tactical Encounter): Important
visitors reside in these well-appointed rooms while in the
tower. The guest quarters are currently occupied by a pack
of gnolls negotiating a mercenary contract for their clan.
5. Laboratory: These tower chambers are all functionally
identical, though you can change up their specific
descriptions as need be. Dark experiments realized in the
foundry are first carried out here. The various laboratories
feature a wealth of alchemical equipment and reagents,
ritual components, dead creatures in jars of clear oil, vials
of brightly colored powders and viscous fluids, and other
experimental gear.
The lower northeast laboratory (adjoining the library) is
empty. All other laboratories have a 50% chance of being
occupied by a noncombatant shadar-kai or dark one sage at
work. If the PCs attack, treat the sages as minions with no
attacks of their own. However, unless they are attacked, the
sages of the tower assume that the PCs work for Sarshan.
They yell at the characters for interrupting their work, but
allow them to pass through. If combat occurs in area 9, sages
in adjacent laboratories cower under a table until the danger
passes.
6. Great Hall (Tactical Encounter): Most of the main
floor is given over to this visitor’s gallery and feast hall.
Dark tapestries line the walls, and thick carpets cover the
floors. A banquet table occupies the center of the room,
and comfortable couches are arrayed along the walls. A fire
pit before the doors burns with magical flame. When the
PCs enter, a pair of shadar-kai guards and one of Sarshan’s
dark one allies are arguing here.
7. Sages’ Quarters: These chambers are the residences
of the sages who labor to perfect Sarshan’s vile experiments.
Each chamber has four beds and is occupied by two noncombatant
shadar-kai or dark one sages, either sleeping (if
no combat has occurred in an adjacent chamber) or cowering
beneath a bed (if it has). Treat the sages as minions with
no attacks.
8. Gate House: The interior doors to area 6 are locked
and barred, requiring a successful DC 26 Thievery check
and a successful DC 21 Strength check to open. The exterior
stone double doors are normally open so the guards within
can see the road and the bridge. They can be closed with
two standard actions (one for each door) and barred from
the inside (a successful DC 40 Strength check to open).
Four shadar-kai warriors and four shadar-kai chainfighters
are on guard here at all times. However, they do
not expect trouble from inside the tower, and so they are
distracted if the PCs enter from area 6. Use the statistics
from the Library and Great Hall tactical encounters.
This message was last edited by the GM at 06:03, Fri 04 Apr 2014.

  Oh sure, have ex-employees who try to kill them.  Have an army with likely (but only implied so far) intent to invade.  But plotting to put mercenaries out of a job?  This guy is so going down.  Looks like when you are already in the Shadowfell, it's a harder job than just being a necromancer to get a manufactured workforce nobody else has.

  "I wish I had a better answer than Mittens gave May, but I do not."

May asks, "I didn't break out my best just yet... I'm saving it all for Sarshan." her dailies are boss killers anyway. "But unless these last fights are some of Sarshan's best men... I think we're in waaaaay over our heads. Modra had a good idea going: Just destroy the factory and set Sarshan's research back several years. If we find ourselves unable to leave here alive, we should set this whole place on fire. If we survive up to fighting Sarshan, we should set this place on fire. You know? Let's make sure we coat things in lamp oil as we go... so that we can catch the place on fire so fast, they won't be able to put it out."

Timothius opens his eyes. Raichel says, "Sounds good." She looks at Mittens, "We should lock people in their rooms so we don't get any more surprise fights."

"Or stomp them because they're all nice and clumped up," Mits suggests, "As we saw earlier, doors don't seem to stop things from going through them.  Let's start with the gate guards so we can bar any reinforcements coming in from outside."

She heads for the front door and waits for May to take point.

"Someone open the door for me, please."

She charges up a spell.  When the doors open she hollers, "SURPRISE!"
The Shadar-Kai reel back in abject horror!
This message was last edited by the GM at 06:38, Fri 04 Apr 2014.

May and Timothius open the doors and Raichel shoots a huge beam of electricity at the unfortunate person who happens to be in the center of the group of enemies!

---

Thunder Slam v Warrior 3. Hit(21)!
 dmg: 22+3(Kyle)

Warrior 3 HP: 44 - 25 = 19

  One the doors are opened, Kyle shoots a crossbow bolt into the Warrior directly in front of him, landing a solid shot and providing a helping of Artificer Radiation Arcane empowerment to his friends.

Standard: M weapon vs Warrior 3. hits. 16 DMG.   44 HP left.
Magic weapon buff to whole party
This message was last edited by the player at 06:54, Fri 04 Apr 2014.

for badguys

"We have them outnumbered!" one mentions, rushing to strike Mittens

"Flank them!" another says, teleporting to be next to Raichel to get her back for that zap!  Whiff!

The rest all attack Mittens, but only one manages to hit!
This message was last edited by the GM at 06:52, Fri 04 Apr 2014.

Raichel suddenly turns into a lightning bolt that shoots to the ground behind the warrior before she slams her fists into the warrior, seemingly ignoring the enemy's insubstantial quality! "Take THIS!" and the warrior goes down!

---

Move: Lightning Shift!
Standard: Five storms. Miss.
ACTION POINT!
Standard: Twin Thunders v Warrior 3. Hit(21)!
 dmg: 20

Warrior 3: 19 - 20 = KO!
Warrior 2: 60 - 1 = 59

Timothius raises his staff and glory streams from him, bathing the enemy in holy light before he walks away. Enemies try to swing at him, but miss horribly. Then Tim turns and sings! His allies feel tougher and two of the enemies feel weaker!

---

Minor: Solar Enemy
Move: To back of group
 AoO from enemies. Both miss.
Standard: Hymn of Resurgence. Hit(29)! Miss x 5, Crit(30)!
 Target takes a -2 penalty to all defenses until the end of your next turn.
 When any ally hits the target before the end of your next turn, the target
 is knocked prone.
 Effect: Each ally in the burst can choose to either gain 5 temp hp or to
 make a saving throw.
Mitts save: 15 success

May hacks at (and misses) the warrior in front of Mittens, but surprise-smacks the warrior in front of herself! Her shield isn't the only thing to smack the warrior as her bracers cut into the warrior! The warrior is also pushed back. As she stumbles, May hops forward, now in the midst of the enemies! "Ha! Outnumbered! Like ANTS outnumber a tree! But WE outCLASS you!"

---

Funneling Flurry v Warrior4 and 1. Miss(11), Crit(31)!
 dmg: 10
 Crit dmg: 16 (2d8+1d6)
 Slide Warrior 1 south 1.
Move: Shift 1 into vacated space

Warrior 1 HP: 60 - 26 = 34

  Kyle quickdraws his knockoff wizard wand, and flicks it in the direction of the Insubstantial warrior.  The warrior Moonwalks to the back of the room, then stabs the one May just critred in the back with her Katar.

  The Artificer tosses the wand away behind him, steps up swithing out to his morningstar, and mashes the closest chainfighter in the face with it.

---

Pile of free action and single minor action draw stows go here.
Standard: Charm wand vs Warrior 2, hits.  Warrior 2 stabs Warrior 1. 8 DMG.  Warrior 2 prone thanks to tim
shift: duh
Action point: repulsion strike to chain 4. hits.  17 Force DMG.  Chain 4 -3 Melee t-hit until end of my next turn.

Warrior 1 HP:  26 left.
Chain 4 HP:  25 left

"You'll pay for that!"

In a flurry of bladed chains, the chainfighters glide through the front lines, attacking May, Mittens, and Kyle several times!  Mittens looks badly wounded.

"Goood day, Suuuunshine!" Mittens sings, conjuring her arcane circle.

Zap!  Blam!  Screams!  After a flash of blinding magic, three enemies are downed and one dropped on his butt!  But then the warriors surge forward, one of them cutting Mittens down!

Raichel hops over her unconscious sister, trusting Tim to take care of her, then twirls her foot around the air in a tornado kick! The warrior dodges it only to see Raichel slamming that kick downward into the prone chain-wielder, knocking all the wind and consciousness out of him!

---

Flurry (shift 2 into the midst of them). Hit(21)! Miss(16)
 dmg: 13

Chain 1 HP: 9 - 13 = KO!

Timothius' eyes glow as he points his hands towards Mittens. "See the futility of your actions and know that the light is greater than the darkness! Mittens! Rise alive!" and Mittens' wounds all vanish. He then throws a seal at the nearly-downed enemy and it sticks to her forehead.

---

Minor: Healing Word on Mittens
 dice: 15. +11(surge) = 26 (surge: 7 - 1 = 6)
Minor: Bastion of Health
 dice: 13. +11(surge) = 24 (surge: 6 - 1 = 5)
Standard: Astral Seal on Warrior 1. Hit(29)
 -2 penalty to all defenses.
 The next ally who hits warrior 1 gains 6 hp.

Mittens HP: -4 + 50 = 45 FULL HP

  "Here I was actually worried about Mittens for a minute."  He still is, being stabbed into unconsciousness can't be pleasant.

  Either way,  Kyle switches back over to his big crossbow, and gives the Warrior who brought down Mittens a not quite fatal case of heart burn with an acid dripping bolt to the chest.

Warrior 4 HP left, 1.   DOH.  -2 AC.

May swings and hits armor. She is singing the smurfs theme. Then adds, "See why I'm so chipper? Even if you down us, we'll just rise back up! Look! Your allies still breath. Surrender and live to fight another day!"

---

Comedy of misses

Mits is quick to prestidigitate the blood off as she stands back up with a beaming smile.

"Feel like a million gold!" she chimes cheerily, "Thanks, bro!  ZapZapZap!"

She downs one.  The one Kyle crossbowed tries to get at him but May cuts her down.  The last one swings at Mits but misses.

Raichel punches the remaining warrior with a solid blow!

Timothius throws another seal, but misses this time.

May swings and misses, but dances around the warrior with her deft kobold footwork.

---

Five Storms v Warrior 2. Hit(22)!
 dmg: 17

Warrior 2 HP: 39 - 17 = 22
This message was last edited by the player at 08:49, Fri 04 Apr 2014.