If he had even heard the old woman rambling on about Zhent spies, Elodeir did not show it.

Replies in some posts above.

-------------------------

As the old woman shouts about spies of the Zhentarim being in the crowd, some people join in with things like I knew those Cyric lovers would be in the thick of things! and Damn Zhents!  Worse than cockroaches!  See one, there are at least 12 others!.

Those shouts are soon drowned out with screams of terror as a horde of rats races through the crowd.

RATS!

Gods, they're biting me!!

---------------------------------------------------

The wooden man is still toppling over townsfolk as it bashes through them near the front gates of the cemetery now, the carpet of rats is running toward the back of the wagon, and the wagon's driver is getting both is horses under control again and is trying to turn the wagon around, heedless of the townspeople he is knocking into.

------------------------------------------------------

OOC: Elodeir still has to post his attack, then the NPCs and creatures will attack, the wagon's motion will be determined, etc.

Elodeir quickly raised his crossbow, and launched a bolt through the crowds, seeking out the man driving the wagon away.

The bolt flies true and slices through the driver's left shoulder, drawing some blood and a shout of pain from the man.

The carpet of rats races through the crowd, casuing panic as they do.

The wooden golem-like thing continues to pound its way through the crowd.

The locals scream and rush about, jostling each other and causing all manners of havoc.

And the driver - now wounded - has a very hard time controlling the wagon he is driving.

The grey horse who was hit by Denira's magical ray is still hard to control and the work of turning the wagon in a tight semi-circle proves to be too difficult for him.  He finishes his turn and now faces the the open cemetery gate.

But the driver can not control the horses and wagon enough to make any ground toward the open gate.

The mayor's party, his guards, and the half-elven bard Radcliffe are doing all they can to control the people around them, but with little success.

----------------------------------------

OOC: The party is up again.

Right now the ranges of the party members to the wagon are still as stated above.  You can take a move action to get closer to it if you like.

Deciding against tempting fate with another shot through the crowd, Elodeir instead pointed his finger towards the driver, and after speaking a quick word, two bolts of force streaked from them and into the driver, slamming into his back.

After first trying to warn the pyre guards (PCs) and then the mayor himself, Amylarn finds only frustration that no one will listen to her. I guess rats and wooden men are more important. And seeing the way the golem pounds into the people she doesn't really blame them. Amy decides it's time look after number one. She looks around and through the commotion for a safe place to hide, or at least get out of the way, until the chaos passes. As soon as she spots one Amylarn makes a run for it dodging around anyone in the way.

13:54, Today: Amylarn rolled 22 using 1d20+3. Spot a hiding place.

Elodeir's magical bolts hit home, and the driver jolts up in the bench of the wagon.  He wobbles, then sits down again, urging the horses forward with weak threats.

He then gets to within 10 or so feet of the wagon and can see the man is breathing heavily.

He can also see that there are shapes moving inside the wagon.


Meanwhile, the old woman who'd been trying to speak with him darts somewhere and is out of sight.

===================

OOC: The other PCs can post/act.

The person stepped in front of Bethany soon found out it was a mistake as the butt of her sword comes crashing down ontop of thier leg.  The ball of the sword hits hard and true and with some luck she is able to drop them to one leg.  Stepping up onto the crouched persons back Bethany uses them as a spring board of sorts and tries to jump into the now cleared path the wounded driver is making with the caraige.

Bethany hisses a curse as the humans just keep getting in her way!

The one she belted shouts out in pain.  It's gots me!  Magics a'gots me!  Halp!!  He looks around, not realizing the source of his leg's sudden weakness is the attractive ranger near him.

She tries to leap toward the wagon, but a stout man in a bloody apron with the thick smell of fish upon him blocks her way.  Now that ain't right!  Someone's tryin' ta steal the body!  Where's them what's hired to stop this sort of thing when ya need 'em?!

Shoving the fat smelling fish monger Bethany growls so that everyone knows she means business.  We who were hired are being held up by you stupid people, how about helping us out so that we may do our job and STAY OUT OF OUR WAYS!!!!

The fishmonger's eye go wide.

D'oh!  Well...I...

And he waddles out of the way as best he can.

Keeping herself hidden for the moment, Amylarn does poke her head out now and then to keep an eye on the red haired Zhent and to make sure he was not headed her way.

================================

PM from the DM:
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:04, Tue 04 July 2006.

Drakes orders where to strike down anyone who tried to get close to the wagon.  Holding on with one hand, Drake's sword quickly is drawn and arcing towards the driver.

Drake's sword slices deeply across the driver's right shoulder and a nasty wound opens up.

The man lets go the reigns, and the horses, feeling the freedom, start to bolt.

----------------------------------

OOC: Drake:  Give me a Reflex save, DC 14 as the horses and wagon lurch forward.

PM

The driver nearly falls from the wagon as the horses trample an old woman who could not get out of its way.

Radcliffe is trying to sooth the horses with a song, but that's not having any effect you can see, and the mayor's guards seem more concerned with getting His Honor out of the cemetery than anything else.

One of them has stayed behind and has drawn his sword, apparently ready to strike at one of the horses.

PM?

PM

Drake's years of training is showing as he remains steady with the wagon lurking about.

08:56, Today: Drake Debonn rolled 18 using 1d20+4. reflex roll.

OOC: Denira can act, then the NPCs, monsters, etc. post/act.

Combat and actions are fast and confusing in this encounter to better give the feel of the rush and panic of the situation.  Least that's how I envisioned running this encounter.

But I need to maintain some order here and there.

So once Denira posts, I'll move on.

OOC: See the OOC thread concerning a short (a few days) break in the region.

With over half the group gone, I don't want to move on without them.

So keep checking back, and once at least 2 of the missing 3 PCs/players return, we'll get rolling again.  I'd expect that to happen around Sunday or Monday at the latest.

Denira is lost in the throng of panicked people running for their lives. Her hands are too busy stopping people from crushing her under their collected weight, leaving her unable to cast any spells and the tide of bodies is too thick to move anywhere for the moment. She patiently braces herself against the mass of people & looks for an opening in the crowd so she can move again.

Well THAT came out smaller than I thought it would!

If you can read it:

The grey area to the north-east is the pyre.

D = Denira

R = Drake (on the wagon)

A = Amylarn

E = Elodeir Nightjewel

B = Bethany

The white squares are gravestones.

The big statue is - a statue.

The skeleton is the destroyed zombie

The dark body on grey titles is the wagon and the crosses in front of it are the horses.  The lighter one is wounded.

The wood-colored tile is the mayor.

The other tiles with people on them are townsfolk.

================================================

The ridger atop the wagon is forcing the wagon through the crowd as best he can, heedless of the harm he does as he runs into and tramples people.

Someone (Elodeir, I think) saw movement from inside the wagon.

The horde of rats races among you now, biting and ripping at your feet and ankles.

Each PC (except Drake) takes a point of damage from the many rats.

The wagon is now fully turned around and the rider shouts, snapping the reins to make the horses run as fast as they can along the trail and out the cemetery.

=================================
The party can act again.

In 2 rounds, the wagon will be gone.

I don't think I can do another map.  Took me about an hour to muster up this one.
This message was lightly edited by the GM at 07:00, Sat 22 July 2006.

PM