It never goes smooth.

 Fortunately, as far as Tseran is concerned the solution to his problem is almost certainly going to be addressed by his next precaution as he brings his hands up and swirls them smoothly through a process that would shape a shield of arcane force if he were speaking aloud, but that he instead empowers with clear visualisation and an act of will that makes the air around him shimmer and chime as though struck like a bell...

 ...and yet despite the variance from orthodoxy, a shield indeed forms in the air before him, adding to his modest protections.

 ---

 Manifesting Force Screen for a while, and I'll tone the sound down 'till it's audible from downstairs (but a bit louder than the DC10, 15' option).

Aerin sneered as the rogues bounced back like a bungee rope, attempting once more to find a breach in her defenses. Armor and sword both deflected the attacks and opened the rogues for a counter attack and attack Aerin did. Her full force behind the blows, she made use of the error the simple assassins had made: Being within reach of a dragonkin...

The first blow struck the hapless goon that tried to get her from behind, the second was aimed at the one who had spoken such confident words moments ago.

ooc: Full attack. Dreadful Wrath, will save DC17 or be shaken for 1 minute 20ft radius.
Attack #1 vs. 4: 31 (20), crit confirm 14 - miss. Damage 31pts.
Attack #2 vs. 1: 16, damage 28pts.

11:08, Today: Aerin of Damar rolled 28 using 2d6+19.  Damage #2.
11:07, Today: Aerin of Damar rolled 31 using 2d6+19.  Damage #1.
11:06, Today: Aerin of Damar rolled 16 using 1d20+7.  Attack #2.
11:05, Today: Aerin of Damar rolled 14 using 1d20+12.  Crit confirm.
11:04, Today: Aerin of Damar rolled 32 using 1d20+12.  Attack #1 PA-3/+6
[Private to GM: Please let me know if there's a Cleave attack for Aerin.]

Slove does not even realize a spell been cast at him.
The elf hates wizards and so the last wizards just going to have to die.
The elf shoots two arrows at him.


OOC:L
11:59, Today: Slove rolled 23 using 1d20+3.  Will Save DC 13.

12:00, Today: Slove rolled 17 using 1d20+7.  Attack with bow (with ajustments).
12:04, Today: Slove rolled 13 using 1d8+5.  Damage if 17 hits.

12:01, Today: Slove rolled 27 using 1d20+7.  Attack with bow (with ajustments).
12:02, Today: Slove rolled 10 using 1d20+7.  Crit??
12:01, Today: Slove rolled 10 using 1d8+5.  Damage.

OOC: Tseran, to suppress the display, you still need to make the Concentration DC 15+level check. Since I rolled you only a 15, you may want to do this yourself in future. :p However, since that's so close to success, and it seems you did want it heard, I'll say it's limited to the shop.
20:37, Today: DM BadCatMan, on behalf of Tseran Tal'chiar, rolled 15 using 1d20+10.  concentration - suppress display.

Aerin gains a cleave attack on Thug #1.

Downstairs in the antique shop, Kaijn heard a curious chime emanating from upstairs, like a deep-sounding bell...

*

Slove's first arrow narrowly missed its target, but the second certainly hit, buried deep in the wall-climbing wizard. The man cried out, unheard. It was definitely time to leave... [Slove: 2nd attack hits]

Meanwhile, Aerin ran her greatsword through the thug behind her, causing him to cough up blood as the life fled his eyes. Ripping the blade free, she tried to do the same with the leader, but he nimbly dodged the attack. [Aerin hits, kills #4; misses #1]

Mid-Round Update:

Thug #4 dead

Initiative:
8 - Tseran
26 - Slove
25 - Kaijn
21 - Aerin
18 - Orophear
 8 - Thugs
 8 - Mage - critically wounded

ooc: Cleave attack 14, miss. never mind

Kaijns heritage wasnt known for its mercy and despite his many years alive he himself could be ruthless. He uttered the words of a spell and suddenly emerald green daggers appeared and raced off towards the climbing wizard hitting him full force.

OOC: 07:40, Today: Kaijn Tur'kin rolled 17 using 4d4+4.  Magic Missile.

OOC: The "climbing wizard" is on the wall outside. Kaijn is inside the shop, and cannot see or target the mage. He'd have to enter the silenced area to see him, but then could not cast the spell. To move this along, I assume you target the thug inside the shop you were dealing with.

The four emerald daggers swooped around the shop, unerringly seeking out the creeping thug. They struck him, again and again, leaving him broken and lifeless on the floor. [Thug #6 slain]

*

Outside, the rumbling had grown steadily worse and ever more ominous. Suddenly the ground erupted in an explosion of mud, muck, and broken cobbles, and a massive form pushed its way out of the earth, soil sliding down a steely shell. It was a huge beast, fully armour-plated, with a sharp crest and vast pointed beak. The notorious landshark! [Bulette erupts in I3/J4]

It galloped down the alley at Slove, jaws stretched wide and ready to devour. But, at the last, it shied away from the elf in disgust, instead turning its hunger on Aerin! The jaws snapped down, narrowly missing her. [Moves to G3/H4. Bite attack 23 @ Aerin, missed]



OOC: It's a bulette! It's well known enough you can ID it as an enormous, burrowing killing machine. Make Knowledge (arcana) DC 19 to know anything more detailed or useful.

With that terrible ally on the scene, the lead thug turned and ran, leaving Aerin and Slove to its mercy. [Thug #1 withdraws, no AoO]

Outside the field of silence again, he gave a signal, and the remaining thugs frantically fired their crossbows once more. But every bolt went wide, thrown off by the rain, Aerin's and Slove's defences, and the thugs own terror at the landshark. Shafts clattered unnoticed off its shell. [Thugs, ranged attacks 16, 11, 8, all miss]

As they secured their retreat, the mage clinging to the wall had one last trick up his cloaked sleeve. Weaving his hands, spying the scene via a small prism, he briefly glimmered all over and then began to fade – but slowly, first losing all the colour from his already-grey appearance. Multi-hued energy formed in his hand, then he hurled it at Aerin, right before the mage disappeared entirely from view. Aerin was engulfed by blinding, flashing colours. [Mage casts spell, turns invisible. Aerin, make Will DC 15 or be Blinded for 1 round]

Round 5:



S: Slove
O: Orophear (unconscious)
A: Aerin
K: Kaijn
T: Tseran

1–5: Thugs (#2 and #4 badly wounded, #2 in brown over the drain)

M1: Mage #1 invisible (critically wounded)

Silence: Silence fills the alley

Rain: Reduces visibility ranges by half, resulting in a −4 penalty on Spot and Search checks. Automatically extinguishes any unprotected flames, causes protected flames (such as those of lanterns) to dance wildly and have a 50% chance of extinguishing these lights. Ranged weapon attacks and Listen checks are at a −4 penalty.

Blind: Take –2 penalty to Armor Class, lose Dexterity bonus to AC, move at half speed. All opponents have total concealment (50% miss chance) relative to the blinded character.

Initiative:
8 - Tseran
26 - Slove
25 - Kaijn
21 - Aerin
19 - Bulette
18 - Orophear
 8 - Thugs
 8 - Mage
This message was last edited by the GM at 09:17, Mon 16 Apr 2018.

Aerin was staring wide-eyed at the huge creature bursting from the ground and promptly forgot to shield her eyes as the spell hit her. Blinded she stumbled backwards and was surprised to find herself able to hear again. But she wasn't going to waste the opportunity, she did not need her eyes to cast a spell. A few syllables later a silver disk appeared before her, vanishing a second later.

ooc: Knowl.Arcana 9. Will save DC15 - 9. fail. blinded.
Move to D3. Cast 'Shield' 10mins.AC+5

Current AC 26/24/08
This message was last edited by the player at 12:05, Thu 12 Apr 2018.

Slove takes a step back and then lets of two arrows.

OOC:
20:39, Today: Slove rolled 20 using 1d20+8.  Attack in bulette.
20:38, Today: Slove rolled 21 using 1d20+8.  Attack in bulette.
Move back one square to 3E

Slove's arrows flew true, but bounced harmlessly off the bulette's steel-hard shell. [Both miss]

As Aerin stumbled backwards, the beast swung a powerful claw at her, denting her dragonscale armour, crushing flesh beneath. [AoO attack 26, damage 13 @ Aerin]


OOC: The AoO is against your earlier, pre-Shield AC. The bulette has a 10-foot reach.

Mid-Round Update:

Slove in E3, Aerin in D3

Initiative:
8 - Tseran
26 - Slove
25 - Kaijn
21 - Aerin
19 - Bulette
18 - Orophear
 8 - Thugs
 8 - Mage

 The combination of scattering footsteps, screaming, generalised mayhem and falling cobblestones from outside decides Tseran, who pulls himself out of cover with a growled Elven epithet as he hastens back across the room, gathering his Will as he does so and refining it into a needle-point, into which he draws together the echoing, bell-like chime of his last manifestation until it's a quivering lance of raw sound that he vibrates together, heightening the energies until the air itself catches fire and he hurls the just-forged spear from the window into the back of the monster, shards of falling glass from the exploding pains showering down like raindrops, caught in the audible thwump of the pressure-wave.

 ---

 Energy Ray, flame. I'll bump 7 full points into this because bloody hell, a bulette!
 02:39, Today: Tseran Tal'chiar rolled 9 using 1d20.  Ranged touch attack.
 02:39, Today: Tseran Tal'chiar rolled 18 using 7d6.  Thwomp!

 So, 14 to hit (not great!) but if I hit, it does 25 fire damage (which is nice!).
 If not, like, a cobblestone just exploded (1" of hewn stone, hardness 8 has like, 15 hit points!) which would also be awesome. ^_^

ooc: Immediate action: Use spell shield ability DC17: 13(1) fail.

OOC: Now if only it became a flaming bulette. :D


The bulette made for a massive target; Tseran couldn't miss, unless maybe he was running in terror from it at the time. Flames surged out of the window and engulfed the monstrous beast. It stamped its clawed feet and roared in agony, the sound echoing off the narrow walls of the alley. By the time the rain put out the fire, what little exposed hide it had was charred and reddened. [Direct hit, 25 fire damage done]

Mid-Round Update:

Slove in E3, Aerin in D3

Bulette wounded

Initiative:
 8 - Tseran
26 - Slove
25 - Kaijn
21 - Aerin
19 - Bulette
18 - Orophear
 8 - Thugs
 8 - Mage

The roar of the battle outside grabbed Kaijns attention after the thug fell lifeless to the floor. Through the open door the mage saw a large scaly creature which he instantly recognized as bulette. Not wanting to get any closer he focused on a more powerful spell than he had just used to slay the thug with.

This time a 10' long lance of emerald green ice appeared next him and with the control of his mind he sent it flying into the bulette.

OOC:

11:05, Today: Kaijn Tur'kin rolled 26 using 1d20+12.  Knowledge Arcana.

11:02, Today: Kaijn Tur'kin rolled 4 using 1d4.  Icelance stun.

11:02, Today: Kaijn Tur'kin rolled 25 using 5d6.  Icelance damag

OOC: Please don't forget to give me all necessary details of a spell. In particular, Kaijn, you needed to make a ranged touch attack; you might be able to hit the broad side of a bulette, but you could still roll a 1 and miss. Fortunately for you, I rolled a 2.
15:12, Today: DM BadCatMan, on behalf of Kaijn Tur'kin, rolled 12 using 1d20+10. ranged touch attack.

With its wild, earth-shaking bucking after the fiery blast, the bulette was hard for Kaijn to hit with his icy lance. Yet he managed it, just, the emerald ice striking and shattering upon the creature's hide. Once reddened with heat, the steely shell now froze and cracked. The maddened beast stamped and roared in silence, but could not shake off the pain, nor move to attack. [Kaijn hits, deals 25 damage. Bulette Fort save 12, fails. Is Stunned for 4 rounds.]

Annoyed by this, the thugs regrouped, not wanting to give the adventurers a chance to recover. But they sure as hells weren't going to go near the bulette, whatever state it was in. They couldn't shoot over its massive bulk either. The leader pointed to Tseran where he leaned out the window after hurling his very noticeable flame ray. 'Get him!' A hail of bolts met the elf, most clattering against the wall or shutters, but one finding its mark, cutting past his arm. [Thugs 1, 2, 3, attacks 7, 21, 15. Cover from the window gives +4 AC. 2nd attack hits, damage 1 @ Tseran]

On the other side, the last thug fired his bolt at Aerin, thinking her an easy target now she was blind. But he'd reckoned without her formidable armour and magical defences; she felt the bolt bounce harmlessly off. [Thug 5 attack 20, miss]

*

Inside the upper room, Tseran was gripped hard by the back of his head, and a strange power invaded his mind, making it hard to think, to remember, to wonder. His very mind was being scrambled like an egg by the grey-cloaked mage who'd appeared behind him. His last coherent memory was that the only other window into his room was shuttered closed. His last coherent realisation was that the shutters had been closed by a wily illusionist and maybe had not been closed at all... [Touch attack 18, no save, −4 penalty to Int, −4 penalty to Wis, −1 penalty to Cha to Tseran]

OOC: Well, at least he still has his looks. :p


Round 6:



S: Slove
O: Orophear (unconscious)
A: Aerin
K: Kaijn
T: Tseran

B: Bulette (Stunned 1/4 rounds, moderately wounded)

1–5: Thugs (#2 and #4 badly wounded, #2 in brown over the drain)

M1: Mage #1 invisible (critically wounded, in the room with Tseran)

Silence: Silence fills the alley

Rain: Reduces visibility ranges by half, resulting in a −4 penalty on Spot and Search checks. Automatically extinguishes any unprotected flames, causes protected flames (such as those of lanterns) to dance wildly and have a 50% chance of extinguishing these lights. Ranged weapon attacks and Listen checks are at a −4 penalty.

Blind: Take –2 penalty to Armor Class, lose Dexterity bonus to AC, move at half speed. All opponents have total concealment (50% miss chance) relative to the blinded character.

Stunned: Drops everything held, can't take actions, takes a –2 penalty to AC, lose Dex bonus to AC.

Initiative:
8 - Tseran
26 - Slove
25 - Kaijn
21 - Aerin
19 - Bulette
18 - Orophear
 8 - Thugs
 8 - Mage
This message was last edited by the GM at 08:26, Mon 16 Apr 2018.

The dragonkin shook her head, blinking and finally her vision returned. Blasted mage. While she was blinded she had missed the attacks delivered by Kaijn and Tseran, feeling only the ground moving as the huge creature had bucked in pain. Now she could see it had been harmed and wasn't acting clearly. Taking that as a cue, the Rashemi took a deep breath and brought up the old greatsword that her uncle had given to her upon leaving her home, storming toward the beast. Her battle cry was cut short as she entered the silent area again but everyone could see something was changing, her features looked definetly more draconic and she seemed to have grown a bit taller. And then she brought down her weapon in one mighty cleaving hack, biting through the bulette's armor into the unprotected muscle and bone below.

ooc: Blindness gone. Charge Bulette (-2 AC). Dreadful Wrath: Will save DC17 or be shaken for 1 minute (20ft rd.)

Charge Bulette (F05) 22. Damage 24pts.

10:56, Today: Aerin of Damar rolled 24 using 2d6+13.  Damage Charge.
10:55, Today: Aerin of Damar rolled 22 using 1d20+17.  Charge Bulette.

Slove turns his bow towards the thug against the wall.
He lets go of two arrows at the man.

The elf then does something funny.  He slings his bow onto his back.
Move action put bow away.

OOC:
13:05, Today: Slove rolled 18 using 1d20+8.  Attack with bow (with ajustments).
13:04, Today: Slove rolled 19 using 1d20+8.  Attack with bow (with ajustments).
As far as I can work out this are misses.

From her hiding place off to one side of the upper room, cloaked in magic and shadow, Angel, a recent fugitive from Duke Stormkin's dungeon, watched Tseran rush across the room and hurl some sort of flaming lance of arcane energy down to something unseen below. From the scattered sounds and yells, punctuated oft-times by eerie silence, in the alleyway below Angel guessed there was some sort of battle going on -- probably something to do with that motley crew Tseran had taken up with recently. She knew that lot would find trouble like moths found flame, and no doubt draw Tseran to it as well... which made keeping the promise she'd made to herself of making sure Tseran stayed out of trouble all that much harder. Even now she shook her head at the mage's bravado, disapproving of the way those others had rubbed off on the bookish wizard so quickly. The clatter of crossbow bolts on the window frame where Tseran now stood, one even coming close enough to graze his arm, only proved her point and she started to move to the fool wizard to pull him back out of danger... but something caught her eye. The shutters on the window were closed now. Hadn't they been open before? Her well-honed survival instincts screamed in her mind -- someone else was here! Someone was going after Tseran! Quiet as a temple mouse on worship day, she drew her rapier and inched closer to Tseran; ready for anything but especially to help the elf-mage if she could.

Too late she saw the battle wizard appear, touching Tseran and crippling him with some sort of magical assault. Dammit! She swore to herself, too far away to have prevented the attack. Determined though that if she couldn't prevent she could at least avenge, Angel activated her anklet and teleported the last dozen paces, positioning herself behind the battle wizard and plunging her rapier into his back...

OOC: Move - draw weapon
     Swift - activate anklet
     Standard - Attack with rapier while invisible and from behind
     10:31, Today: Angel rolled 16 using 1d20+9 (+2 to melee attack for being invisible)
     (total of 18 to hit vs. FF AC ---> assumed hit)
     (using Christmas gift 2017 (free 20) to confirm crit ---> total of 29
     10:43, Today: Angel rolled 8 using 1d6+2.  rapier damage.
     10:44, Today: Angel rolled 7 using 1d6+2.  Crit damage.
      (15 damage from critical hit)
     [Private to GM: If that's enough to take down the battle mage then I want to use Angel's sneak attack dice to steal a second level damage spell (your choice) from the battle mage. If that not enough to take down the mage, then I would like to use her doubled SA die (2d6 total) as damage to hopefully take down the battle mage. You can roll them if you need to. ]
This message was last edited by the player at 18:07, Mon 16 Apr 2018.

This message was deleted by the player at 06:51, Tue 17 Apr 2018.

OOC: Angel, much like Han, attacked first, and managed to down the enemy mage. Tseran, you may redirect your attack to the bulette or thugs outside, or change it. Unless you want to hurl around his body, that is.

Slove, those are both hits. Feel free to roll damage. I presume you're shooting at Thug #5?

Please be sure to keep your bio-lines updated, as I always look at those.
[Private to Angel: You win... blinding color surge, PHB 2 page 104, which he recently used against Aerin. Nice spell.]


With unerring aim and an unwitting foe, the rapier ran right through the cloaked beguiler, blood spurting from his mouth and the point protruding from his chest. The man dropped to his knees, revealing a familiar face behind him – Angel!

*

The raging bulette was not intimidated by Aerin's charge; seemingly nothing could frighten a landshark, apparently too hungry or too stupid to care. But it felt her sword crashed through its armour-plate, though the impact shuddered up Aerin's arm. Though noiseless in the zone of silence,  it was clearly squealing in pain. [Will 21, success. Attack hits, 24 damage dealt]

Mid-Round Update:

A wild Angel appears!

Aerin in F4.

Bulette seriously wounded

Initiative:
 8 - Angel
8 - Tseran
26 - Slove
25 - Kaijn
21 - Aerin
19 - Bulette
18 - Orophear
 8 - Thugs
 8 - Mage

 Tseran's turning, gathering his will to strike even as he feels his mind and spirit being assailed but before he can do so the mage is falling, struck through the heart by a familiar and thoroughly unwelcome figure at whom he snarls ungraciously "Seriously? Is there no satisfaction you will not deny me?" before completing the turn and switching his incantation on the fly, driving two more lances of incandescent fire, one after another down into the back of the rampaging monster below.

 ---

 03:07, Today: Tseran Tal'chiar rolled 14,8,15,8 using 1d20,1d20,4D6,4D6.  Scorching Rays.
 That's 19 to hit for 15 damage & 13 to hit for 8 - both ranged touch attacks!

Hot, cold, hot – after so many sudden temperature changes, the bulette's iron shell underwent thermal shock, cracking and splitting to show raw flesh beneath. With a final silent cry, it fell down, thudding heavily into the ground.


Mid-Round Update:

A wild Angel appears!

Aerin in F4.

Bulette knocked out.

Initiative:
 8 - Angel
 8 - Tseran
26 - Slove
25 - Kaijn
21 - Aerin
19 - Bulette
18 - Orophear
 8 - Thugs
 8 - Mage

Kaijn watched the monster drop but feared getting caught in the silence spell once more. Instead he moved warily upstairs to find the mentalist.

OOC: Will do regarding the spells, i had to find the book. Thought it was ranged and not touch.

Slove's arrows do nice amount of damage.

OOC:
Somehow thought they be misses.  Yes Thug 5 please.
18:12, Today: Slove rolled 8 using 1d8+5.  Damage to Thug 5.
18:12, Today: Slove rolled 8 using 1d8+5.  Damage to Thug 5.

Total Damage 16 hp.

"If by satisfaction, you mean getting your backside handed to you," Angel quipped back, shaking the blood off her blade with an expert twist before re-sheathing it. "Then, yes, I'll deny you that," she added, meeting Tseran's gaze with a sudden and uncharacteristic seriousness before he rushed off to hurl more fire down below. Angel frowned as the elf-mage turned away, sending her telepathic thoughts into his fleeing head. You're welcome by the way!

Grumbling to herself at the mage's reaction to her aid, Angel bent down and began searching through the fallen battle-mage's pockets...

OOC: Take 10 on a Search check for 21 total.