Start of Round 5

    Jubei’s divine energies scourge at Cebakaala’s aggressors even as Jubei puts himself in harm’s way for Cebakaala and the ranger still has to make his escape from one of the hideous monstrosity that’s pursued him despite leaving itself open to an attack from Jubei.
???1 attacks Cebakaala with ??? and hits triggering Jubei’s Contingency: Vigilant Blade switching Iron Jubei with Cebakaala.  ???1 attack still hits and deals 11 damage.
???2 attacks Iron Jubei with ??? and misses.
???3 moves to 8U, provoking an attack of opportunity from Iron Jubei, and attacks Cebakaala with ??? and hits triggering Cebakaala’s Contingency: Nimble Reversal evading the attack and shifting Cebakaala to 8R.<
  As Jubei’s holy power tore into the desiccated skin of the creature Cebakaala had just evaded, it tore off and ripped like a leather bag.  Revealing a metallic skeleton underneath.

  Another zombie emerges from the dust beside the crane’s base and tries to strike at Jubei
???4 attacks Iron Jubei with ??? and misses.

  Despite his best efforts one of the corpses clearly on its way originally towards Jubei and Cebakaala turns immediately to face Drex and lands a hard blow against him as if utterly unimpeded by the dust cloud.
???5 attacks Drex with ??? and hit dealing 8 damage.

[Remember to roll your Endurance Check again at the start of your turn to see if you lose one of your actions.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:44, Tue 07 Feb 2017.

With Willa's decision on whether or not to brave the dust storm made for her, she braced herself as best she could against the elements and decided to move further in.   Hopefully she could find her friends.  She managed to endure the storm this time and, with her arm in front of her eyes, trudged directly ahead, as Phelan had directed her spell before.

At first all she saw was dust and snow, but then a large silhouette appeared before her.  She smiled.  She'd found what could only be Iron Jubei.  He was swaying and maneouvering in ways she had come to recognise as his fighting style.  Brandishing her rod she walked up to him and then spotted another shape just ahead.  Smaller, more humanoid and, even though difficult to discern, definitely not one of her friends.

Grimacing, as much against the storm as at her supposed foe, she shouted out from behind her helm's visor.  Although her voice barely carried across the wind, her brand burned itself deep into the things hide.  A quick flash of arcane light, followed by a purer luminescence falling from above.


OOC
15:18, Today: Willa rolled 12 using 1d20+7.  Endurance - weather the storm.
Move to T11
Minor Action: Curse ??1
Standard Action: Dire Radiance at ??1
To Hit: 17 vs Fortitude
(d20+Cha:4, +expertise:1, +Proficiency:1, +disquiet:2, +Rod of Corruption: 1, -2 Dust Storm)
1st Damage: 11 Radiant, 6 Untyped, 17 Total
(1d6+Cha:1, +enhancement:1, 1d6 Curse)

2nd Damage: 11 Radiant (If ??1 moves closer to Willa)
(1d6+Cha:1, +enhancement:1)

Wow high damage rolls!

If ??1 dies this turn, Willa will trigger her rod of corruption and use her Pact Boon to spread her curse to all enemies within 5 squares of the target.

This message was last edited by the player at 19:33, Tue 07 Feb 2017.

The Kaetyma seemed to be in some kinda trance. Or something similar, either way, even the shoddy sight seemed to not impede him in doling out due punishment.

Opporunity Attack: Virtuous Strike
Target: ???3
Attack Roll: 28 using 1d20+8 CRIT
Damage Roll: 14 radiant + 2 fire/radiant
Effect: gain a +2 bonus to saving throws until the start of your
next turn.
Special: This power can be used as a melee basic attack.

Endurance check: 12 using 1d20+4

And so he continued to act, unhampered by the fog.

<purple>Standard Action: Virtuous Strike
Target: ???1
Advantaged Attack Roll: 20 using 1d20+6 vs AC
Damage Roll: 9 radiant damage
Effect: gain a +2 bonus to saving throws until the start of your
next turn.

Divine Challenge maintained on ???3 due to adjacency.


Knowledge check to check how "undead" these undead actually are.
This message was last edited by the player at 10:34, Wed 08 Feb 2017.

18 using 1d20+3.  Endure the storm!

Ceba's hurried escape from the vicious, and strange, undead-like creatures had set his mind adrift. He had to stay away from them, as clearly his blades had little effect - the flesh fell clean, but the metallic skeletons beneath were of great concern to him. Sheathing his blades as he bounded away, he drew from his back the strange lance he had been saving for this very moment. Taking careful aim with the lance, and pointing the tip of the blade at his unknown assailant, he howled with glee as two blasts of lightning shot forth towards the undead-ish enemy.

"Begone, unholy
aberration of nature!
Let the lightning strike!"


Free Action: Perception to see ??3, 20 using 1d20+8
Free Action: Sheathe swords
Move Action: R8 to M9
Minor Action: Hunter's Quarry on ??3
Standard Action: Twin Strike on ??3 (Quick Draw: Vicious Lightning Lance)
Attack 1: 21 vs AC
Damage: 11 Lightning Damage (5.5 due to Weakened)
Attack 2: 22 vs AC
Damage: 12 Lightning Damage + 6 Hunter's Quarry Damage (9 due to Weakened)
This message was last edited by the player at 16:28, Thu 09 Feb 2017.

Endurance  check: 5

Drex realized his stealthy approach to this combat is not going to work, the foe has the upper hand in this dust, seeing as they don't have to breath or perceive in the conventional way. Now facing one of these things himself in this chocking dust, he must think on his feet. What should he do next...

Drex heard the commotion of battle escalating close by. Not wanting to take one of these on by himself He disappear in a flash of light. The dust is lit up by streak of radiant light. Just as it appeared it was gone and in front of Ceba stood Drex.

As he moved Drex saw the silhouette of his companions and there assailants. This was the spot and that is one you should attack a voice in his head told him as he cam to a stop. Coughing and wheezing from the dust Drex yelled out: "Feel the wrath of my gods, I will reduce you to the same dust we are breathing!" Drawing on his inner reserves he was able to overcome his coughing fits and land a blow against this abomination.

But what could these thing be...?

Move action: Distracting Flare
Effect: You become invisible and move your speed. You are invisible until the end of the movement. X14 to T8

Minor action: Oath of Enmity
Target: ??3

Spend action point for standard action: Overwelming Strike
Target: ??3
Attack: 24 vs. AC.
Hit: 5(11). You shift 1 square (to S8) and slide the target 1 square into the space you occupied (T8).

Non action: Monster knowledge
This message was last edited by the player at 09:25, Wed 08 Feb 2017.

A few moments after Jubei's holy radiance tore through the skin covering one of the creatures, there was Narayan yell of utter disbelief.

"They're not zombies. They're automata. That fleshy covering provides some protection, but they should be vulnerable to lightning." Phelan's voice rang out over the storm. "They're old though so uh... When they get too damaged... They explode. They're single minded and will resist attacks on the mind."

The speech from Phelan combined with his earlier swearing left him coughing from all the dust he inhaled. With Amare updating him on the conditions in the distance he focused his wand on Jubei's location, covering him with a shield of sonic energy. It exploded out at one of the automata, but the coughing from Phelan disrupted his focus as the energy dissipated.

Endurance: 5
Standard: Thundering Armor
Effect: +1 AC on Jubei
Secondary Target: ??1
Attack: 13 vs Fort (MISS)

Amare, meanwhile gripped his rod with both hands, focusing on the rift as it suddenly shifted and exploded into the storm, tearing into the Automata surrounding Jubei.

Warp and Rend trigger:
Augment 1
Effect: Shift 1 square North
Attack: 25 vs ??1 Reflex
26 vs ??2 Reflex
25 vs ??3 Reflex
11 vs ??4 Reflex
25 vs ??5 Reflex
AMARE THIS IS NOT NECESSARY
Hit: 11 Force Damage

The destructive force ripped out with insidious precision, tearing into the frames of the automata. Again, Amare swung his rod, conjuring another rift in space.

Standard Action: Warp and Rend
Target: One square south of the Fragment
This message was last edited by the player at 10:03, Wed 08 Feb 2017.

    Fighting her way through the Dust Cloud had stuck bits of dust and detritus into the exposed ooze of Willa’s body.  Yet despite the itching this caused her she managed to aim her rod and incant her spell with precision.

  Jubei’s blows rang true against his foes and even laid one low.  Willa quickly summoned the power of her foul rod this time she braced herself for the sickening of her stomach.  Even when it hit she was not fully prepared for it.  Blackness and putrefaction erupted in foul bubble from the fallen mechanoid.  It expanded rapidly before bursting and leaving behind a hideous odor to contend with the chocking dust.  A slight sickening feeling briefly passed through everyone nearby even as the mark of Willa’s curse moved to all her nearby foes. 

[I’m retargeting Cebakaala’s attacks on ??1 to ??3.]
  Cebakaal’s lance fires a bolt of lightning, twice, at his target.  The energy arcs across the machine as it falls limply to the ground with a resounding, metallic thunk.

[All this focus fire! Retargeting Drex to move to 8V instead and attack ??2 instead.]
  Drex swiftly blitzes across the battlefield, yet despite his trick to evade his enemy the aweful thing somehow manages to see through it and strike at Drex regardless only to miss Drex as he shot past to engage one of the remaining foes at Jubei’s side.
???5 attacks Drex with ??? and misses.

  Phelan blew away the corpse that lay beside Jubei, though in doing so he put it right beside Ceba.  Amare’s rift managed to tear into most of the enemies but left one unscathed.

End of Round 5

Start of Round 6

    Another of these horrid things emerged from the dust beside Jubei and lays into him with a vengeance.  Drex’s pursuer caught up to him and struck a savage blow.  The impact was so great it left flecks of the long dead skin on Drex’s armour.
???2 attacks Iron Jubei with ??? and misses.
???4 attacks Iron Jubei with ??? and misses.
???5 attacks Drex with ??? and scores a critical hit dealing 15 damage.
???6 attacks Iron Jubei with ??? and hits dealing 15 damage.

[Remember to roll your Endurance Check again at the start of your turn to see if you lose one of your actions.  Also for those who covered their faces against the dust, you get a +5 circumstance bonus to your Endurance check against the dust cloud.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:48, Fri 10 Feb 2017.

A slightly queasy Willa could not see any more enemies, but she did see Iron Jubei still fighting and apparently taking a strong blow.  Angered by this malicious attack on one of her friends, she all but forgot about the dust and ran forward to find the nasty aggressors.  Not that she could run forward really.  Amare's strange magics prohibited that.  Circumventing them, she spotted an enemy through the haze.  Wanting to get a better understanding of the situation, she continued round finding a second, then a third and finally a fourth.

Snarling at them she charged forward into their ranks.  But an instant before she rammed into one of the strange mechanical men, there was a sudden explosion.  Loud, furious and bright. Those fighting Iron Jubei was barraged with disrupting arcane energies that caused their bodies to fizz and jolt erratically. As the light faded, Willa's space was empty.

OOC
20:50, Today: Willa rolled 24 using 1d20+12.  Endurance - Dusty!
D20+7 Endurance, +5 covered face circumstance bonus)

Move Action: Move to X10
(Via: U12, V13, W13, X13, Y12, Y11, X10)
Standard Action: Otherwind Stride
Close burst 1
To Hit ??6:15 vs Fort
To Hit ??4:21 vs Fort
To HIt ??2:15 vs Fort
(D20+Cha:4, +Expertise:1, +Proficiency:1, +Rod of Corruption:1,+Prime Shot:1)

Damage to ??6: 11 Untyped
Damage to ??4: 14 Untyped (includes 3 from curse)
Damage to ??2: 11 Untyped
(1d8 +Cha:4, +Enchancement:1)

On Hit: Enemies are immobolised until Willa's EONT
Effect: Teleport to T11

There was a little giggle as Willa revealed her new position to be her old position by Iron Jubei.  Dusting her hands off she declared: "Willa not done yet..."

Now she knew exactly where her targets were, she didn't need to be able to see them to attempt another strike!

"...Waktipus!"

OOC
Action Point

Standard Action: Shadow Tentacles on square X9
Burst 1 within 10 squares
To Hit ??5:27 vs Reflex (Crit!)
To Hit ??4:22 vs Reflex
To HIt ??2:11 vs Reflex (probably misses)
(D20+Cha:4, +Expertise:1, +Proficiency:1, +Rod of Corruption:1)

Damage to ??5: 18 Cold Damage (Includes additional 1d6 crit damage from rod of corruption)
Damage to ??4: 14 Cold Damage
Damage to ??2: 14 Cold Damage
(1d10 +Cha:4, +Enchancement:1)

On Hit: Enemies are slowed until Willa's EONT

If any cursed enemies die, Willa will attempt to spread her curse again to any non-cursed enemies within 5 squares.

Willa status effects: Has Shadow Walk (concealment) and Armour of Dark Majesty gives +2 to all defences against attacks from enemies under Willa's curse.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:34, Fri 10 Feb 2017.

Amare focused on his rod briefly, mentally controlling the rift to its new position, before it burst destructively. The tendrils reaching out to the creatures were weaker now, but still snagged onto them. Promptly both he and the Artificer began coughing from the dust around them, not helped by the amount they were stirring up with their attacks.

Free Action: Warp and Rend: Damage
Shift Rift to V11
Attack: 23 vs ??2 Reflex
14 vs ??4 Reflex
15 vs ??5 Reflex
17 vs ??6 Reflex
Hit: 4 damage (with Weakened)

As Amare communicated the status of the battlefield, Phelan frowned thoughtfully. He slashed out with the wand, which burst with a strong charge of sonic energy that thrummed around Jubei before exploding at one of the automata.

Endurance: 5
Standard Action: Thundering Armor
Effect: +1 Power Bonus to Jubei's AC
Secondary target: ??2
Attack: 28 vs Fort (CRIT)
Hit: 10 Thunder damage (weakened included). Target is pushed 0 squares.

Meanwhile, Amare frowned over what he could see through his duplicate's eyes. Both he and the duplicate took up a defensive posture.

Total Defence
This message was last edited by the player at 13:14, Mon 13 Feb 2017.

Endurance: 12 using 1d20+3

Ceba took a moment to survey the battlefield - he saw very little, but he could recall enough of the field from memory that he was sure he could find an opponent for another burst from his lightning lance. Warily moving forward, he squinted through the dust and scouring wind. Lo and behold, Jubei was surrounded, and Drex stood beside him. Raising his lance, Ceba took careful aim at the creature that stood beside the Avenger and fired, twice, unerringly - he hoped - at the opponent!

Move: M9 to Q8
Free Action: Hunter's Quarry on ??5
Standard: Twin Strike on ??5
Attack 1: 22 vs AC
Damage 1: 12 Lightning Damage + 4 Hunter's Quarry (8 Weakened)
Attack 2: 21 vs AC
Damage 2: 3 Lightning Damage (1.5 Weakened)

Endurance check: 19

Still remaining unperturbed by the dust, the kaetyma continues to provide as stalwart a defense as he could muster.

Standard Action: Virtuous Strike
Target: ??2
Hit: 11 vs AC



However this time it would seem that he failed to strike true.

Minor Action: Divine Challenge
Target: ??6
Effect: While a target is marked, it takes a –2 penalty to attack
rolls for any attack that doesn’t include you as a target.
Also, it takes 8 radiant damage the first time it makes an attack that doesn’t include you as a target before the start of your next turn.

Immediate Reaction: Aspect of the Wild (Strength of the Wild)
Trigger: The first time you are bloodied during an encounter because of ??5 OA.
Effect: You gain 5 temporary hit points.

Endurance check: 15

After landing his blow to the enemy in front of him, which was followed by several additional blows from the rest of his party. Drex saw an opportunity to fall back to chats his breath. And possibly tend to his wound.

Move Action: Shift from V8 to U8

Move Action: Move from U8 to U12

    In a whirlwind of blasts and blows many of the party’s foes were stripped almost entirely of the old leathery shells to almost fully reveal the mechanical skeletons underneath.

End of Round 6

Start of Round 7

    Drex’s relentless pursuer seems to have been given pause as it joins its companions as they all flail at Jubei’s guard only one of them managing to land a blow upon Jubei’s hide.
???2 attacks Iron Jubei with ??? and misses.
???4 attacks Iron Jubei with ??? and misses.
???5 attacks Iron Jubei with ??? and misses.
???6 attacks Iron Jubei with ??? and hits dealing 13 damage.

[Remember to roll your Endurance Check again at the start of your turn to see if you lose one of your actions.]

OOC: Sorry but, as posted above, Willa should be starting in T11, where (I thought) I had put her.  Not X11.  My bad if I got that wrong.

12:39, Today: Willa rolled 19 using 1d20+12.  Endurance - Choke on Dust.
1d20+Endurance: 7, +Circumstance Bonus: 5

Willa hissed angrily at the half-hidden shape in front of her that continued to attack Iron Jubei, despite her best efforts to convince it of the contrary.  Snarling, she prowled around it, like a wolf on a hunt.  "Death you want is, so is death you get.  Corpse or Construct end be met."

Move Action: Move to W13 (avoiding ???6 threatened area and maintaining shadow walk)
Bonus Action: Curse ??6
Standard Action: Dire Radiance vs ??6
To Hit: 8 vs Fortitude. (Roll says 10, but I forgot the -2 from concealment, sorry)

However, despite all of her bluster, Willa was unable to find her target amongst the dust.

Should any cursed enemies die this turn, Willa will use Fate of the Void pact boon.
This message was last edited by the player at 11:18, Thu 16 Feb 2017.

Both Phelan and Amare managed to get ahold of themselves against the dust and immediately set to work. Using amare's directions, Phelan pointed out toward Jubei once more, surrounding the KAetyma in the now-familiar sonic energy that exploded at one of the automata. At the same time, Amare's illusion pointed a rod at a different automaton, channeling psychic energy into it in spite of Phelan's warning.

Phelan Endurance: 10
Amare Endurance: 13

PHELAN

Standard: Thundering Armor
Target: Jubei
Effect; +1 Power Bonus to AC
Secondary Target: ??2
Attack: 17 vs Fort
Hit: 4 Thunder Damage (including Weakened). Target is pushed one square (to X9).

AMARE
Standard: Invasive Thoughts
Target: ??4
Attack: 14 vs Will
Hit: 7 Psychic damage (including Weakened).
This message was last edited by the player at 11:05, Thu 16 Feb 2017.

Endurance check:10

Drex seems to be reinvigorate by the moment he just had to regain his breath. He now moves swiftly around one of the adversary putting it between him and Jubei. Drex gives the thing a leer and vowed to be instrumental to its destruction.

Standard action: second wind.
Move action: from U12 to X12 avoiding ??6 threatened area.
Minor action: Oath of Enmity on ??6

Endurance Check: 17 using 1d20+4

Once more he was left unimpeded by the curious cloud of dust that simply didn't seem to want to dissipate, something that might well be caused by magic. Either way, he continued his valiant fight with fury.


Standard Action: Virtuous Strike
Target: ???6
Attack Roll: 26 vs AC using 1d20+6 CRIT
Damage Roll: 10 radiant + 5 radiant/fire
Effect: Gain +2 to saving throws until next turn
Special: This power can be used as a melee basic attack.


Minor Action: Dragon's Fury
Targets: ??5, ??2, ??4, ??6
Attack Rolls: vs Will
??5 11
??2 24
??4 21
??6 11

Hit: All affected enemies take disadvantage to attack and damage rolls until the end of your next turn.

Effect: You gain advantage to all attack and damage rolls until the end of your next turn.

This message was last edited by the player at 20:00, Thu 16 Feb 2017.

Endurance: 21 using 1d20+3.  Endure the Storm!
Perception: 23 using 1d20+8.  Perceive all the things.

Ceba held his focus as strongly as he could against the encroaching dust cloud, counting seconds between heartbeats. Once more bringing his lance out front and taking careful aim, he struck out with vicious lightning at the opponent now left exposed by retreat.

Minor Action: Hunter's Quarry on ??5
Standard: Twin Strike vs ??5
Attack 1: 22 vs AC
Damage 1: 7 Lightning Damage + 5 Hunter's Quarry (6 weakened)
Attack 2: 9 vs AC
Damage 2: 4 Lightning Damage (2 weakened)

The first bolt shot out unerringly, hitting its mark square in its strangely mechanical chest area. The second bolt misfired, Ceba had not accounted for the recoil as the dust storm suddenly flared up around him, and the lightning lanced off into the distance.

    Two more of the skeletal machines were felled and only two more remained.  One apparently on the verge of collapse as his broken chest sparked and crackled.  A lick of flame dying within one of the mechanisms that composed it.

End of Round 7

Start of Round 8

    Doomed but still on their last legs the persistent menace continues its mechanized onslaught.
???4 attacks Iron Jubei with ??? and misses.
???6 attacks Iron Jubei with ??? and misses.

[Remember to roll your Endurance Check again at the start of your turn to see if you lose one of your actions.]

Endurance: 16 using 1d20+3
Perception: 28 using 1d20+8

Ceba took note of the enemy upon its last legs, barely able to make out the sparks and small flames that flickered in the dust storm. Jubei's large shape stood out in stark contrast, and he took care to fire past his abnormally large companion. Hoping that a single shot would be enough to topple his near-broken foe, he chose to take aim at two opponents this time - to destroy one and weaken another, the lightning would strike forth! And then promptly miss, the dust storm rising into Ceba's eyes as he misfired - quite badly.

Move: Q8 to Q10
Minor: Hunter's Quarry on ??4
Standard: Twin Strikes on ??4 and ??6
Attack 1: 7 vs AC
Damage 1: 9 Lightning + 7 Hunter's Quarry (8 weakened)
Attack 2: 10 vs AC
Damage 2: 7 Lightning
OOC: With hits like that, should I even bother rolling damage? T_T

Willa circles around behind her target, the dust storm having little affect on her for as long as she remained wrapped up in her cloak.  Still, the miserable fail at hitting earlier weighed heavily on her mind.  She really wanted to punish the thing for hurting her friend!  Summoning the void's cold light again, she endeavoured to make it second time lucky.

Her anger was still unbalancing her concentration, but she managed to focus just enough.


13:13, Today: Willa rolled 26 using 1d20+12.  Endurance - Hidden behind my cloak.

Move Action: Move to Y11 (Shadow Walk)
Standard Action: Dire Radiance at ??6
To Hit: 13 vs Fortitude
(d20+Cha:4, +expertise:1, +Proficiency:1, +disquiet:2, +Rod of Corruption: 1, -2 Dust Storm, +2 Fate of the Void)
1st Damage: 11 Radiant, 6 Untyped, 17 Total
(1d6+Cha:1, +enhancement:1, 1d6 Curse)

2nd Damage: 7 Radiant (If ??6 moves closer to Willa)
(1d6+Cha:1, +enhancement:1)

Whenever a cursed enemy dies this turn, Willa will trigger Fate of the Void.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:21, Fri 17 Feb 2017.

"What." Phelan's voice was utterly flat in response to something Amare messaged him. "What do you mean it had full effect?! How are these constructs so poorly designed THEY CAN BE HURT BY MENTAL ASSAULT?!"

Evidently the artificer took great offence to poorly-designed technology.

 Even as he swung his wand into the dust cloud, he continued his rant in Narayah, getting increasingly strident in his remarks. "Look. Just... Just attack the more damaged one Amare." His fury seemed to be causing him to give no care to the dust.

The slightly perturbed illusion of Amare focused on one of the machines, channeling an assault into its system. Meanwhile, a sonic barrier reappeared around Jubei, blasting at the other machine.

Endurance -
Phelan: 20
Amare: 4

PHELAN
Free Action: Rant
Swift Action: Extended Rant
Move Action: Excessive Rant
Standard Action: Thundering Armor
Target: Jubei
Effect: +1 power bonus to AC
Secondary Target: ??4
Attack: 18 vs Fort
Hit: 6 Thunder Damage (including Weakened).

AMARE
Move Action: Half-choke from dust
Standard Action: Invasive Thoughts
Target: ??6
Attack: 23 vs Will
Hit: 4 Psychic damage (including Weakened).
This message was last edited by the player at 13:44, Sat 18 Feb 2017.