Brannon moves as if to ready his bow, then realising that he hasn't a hope of hitting anything in this darkness, readies his sword and shield instead, peering in the direction that Deise is looking.

In reply to Brannon Darrow (msg # 20):

Seconds after jesting with Colm, Deise drops to a crouch, dagger ready to throw. Poised to JUMP at the hidden foe if necessary.

A razored rain of cresent moon blades materialised out of the darkness and thudding into those in the front ranks.  Most of them were stopped by superior armour, but three struck home.

Gat stumbled slightly but shrugged off the effects as he snarled and charged the enemy.

Aphail and Deise slumped to the ground immediately.

[5 blank lines suppressed]

OOC:

18:31, Today: GM, for the NPC Darkheart 1, rolled 3,3 using 1d20,1d2+1. -2 hp Gat.
18:31, Today: GM, for the NPC Darkheart 1, rolled 6,2 using 1d20,1d2+1.
18:30, Today: GM, for the NPC Darkheart 1, rolled 2,2 using 1d20,1d2+1.


18:34, Today: GM, for the NPC Darkheart 2, rolled 8,3 using 1d20,1d2+1.
18:34, Today: GM, for the NPC Darkheart 2, rolled 1,2 using 1d20,1d2+1. -2 hp Aphail.
18:34, Today: GM, for the NPC Darkheart 2, rolled 9,3 using 1d20,1d2+1.


18:36, Today: GM, for the NPC Darkheart 3, rolled 12,2 using 1d20,1d2+1.
18:36, Today: GM, for the NPC Darkheart 3, rolled 5,2 using 1d20,1d2+1.
18:36, Today: GM, for the NPC Darkheart 3, rolled 17,3 using 1d20,1d2+1. Osric unhurt.


18:38, Today: GM, for the NPC Darkheart 4, rolled 2,2 using 1d20,1d2+1.
18:38, Today: GM, for the NPC Darkheart 4, rolled 17,3 using 1d20,1d2+1.
18:38, Today: GM, for the NPC Darkheart 4, rolled 8,3 using 1d20,1d2+1. -2 hp Deise.


18:41, Today: GM, for the NPC Darkheart 5, rolled 11,3 using 1d20,1d2+1. Brannon unhurt.
18:40, Today: GM, for the NPC Darkheart 5, rolled 10,2 using 1d20,1d2+1.
18:40, Today: GM, for the NPC Darkheart 5, rolled 7,2 using 1d20,1d2+1.


18:43, Today: GM, for the NPC Darkheart 6, rolled 19,2 using 1d20,1d2+1.
18:43, Today: GM, for the NPC Darkheart 6, rolled 16,2 using 1d20,1d2+1. Colm unhurt.
18:43, Today: GM, for the NPC Darkheart 6, rolled 15,3 using 1d20,1d2+1.

Poison Save:

19:05, Today: GM, on behalf of Deise, rolled 16 using 3d6. Fail. Drops to 0 hp unconcious
19:04, Today: GM, on behalf of Aphail MacRoach, rolled 13 using 3d6. Fail. Drops to 0 hp unconcious
19:04, Today: GM, for the NPC Gat, rolled 9 using 3d6. Succeeds

In reply to GM (msg # 22):

OOC: to what extent does Amulet of Sovereignty over Violence help mitigate the damage:?

“Ugghh, . . . Damn . . .”

OOC:

You take 1 hp dam from the blade. It doesn't protect against the poison.

In reply to GM (msg # 24):

Giles casts Darksight and scans the direction which the attack came from

Doron grits his teeth and curses under his breath as sounds of battle breaks out both from the front and the rear of the party. Via the crazy lantern light, the prince gets a vague sense that someone has been downed at each of the two ends.

He looks to the back of the column as his calm voice rings out clearly to his companions. "HeathFather! Sir Uthen! Fighting retreat! Armor to the rear! Bring the wounded! To me!" Doron claps Turren on one of his polished pauldron and looks into the clear calm eyes of the raven-haired knight beside him. The prince nods at at the knight and gestures towards the back of the party. "Help them Turren. They need you. Bring everyone. Nobody gets left behind."

Drawing his sword, Doron pushes past Leofwyn and Caith, moving forward quickly to the front of the party. He takes a quick look at Aphail on the ground, then looks up and charges the enemy.

OOC: As fast as he can, Doron moves to the front of the party. When he sees that Osric and Usopi have charged forward, he will join in too and charge the enemy.

Leofwyn looks to the group at the back and sees a body on the ground. She then shifts her eyes forward to see a similar scene.

Leofwyn turns to Caith, and offers the first idea that enters her mind. "If you go forward, and I go back, we could try to drag whoever has been hit, back here to the middle ground."


(If Caith agrees:)

Grateful for her CANDLE spell freeing up her hands, Leaf runs back towards the slumped figure on the ground. "Oh no, Deise.." she whispers as she grips his arms to pull him back to the middle ground, and hopefully Caith's healing.

As the scouts and Gat seemed to spot something Usopi tensed, waiting for the shoe to drop. The shower of blades flying in from up ahead sent Aphail falling, but Gat rushed forward on the attack. Usopi charged ahead as well, using the flames Aphail’s arrow had set on the enemy’s form to help aim his assault.

"Aye." Caith answers curtly as she moves as swiftly as she can, twisting shape into a leaping wolf that follows her lantern's light to Alphail's still form on the ground.

OOC: Caith looks for signs of life, injury, anything she can see to explain the sudden change from active combatant to falling down and comatose before carrying/dragging Alphail back from the firing line and out of the lamp light.

When she finds a fingernail moon of metal wedged through gaps his brigandine's plates, and an unknown substance coating it, the she wolf's muzzle wrinkles at the scent, her lupine eyes narrow, and she leaps again, this time carrying a comatose hunter grasped by the scruff of their warcoat with her. Seconds later he lies next to Deise.

The wolf's senses finds another blade, twin to the first.

The wolfwitch shifts form, and with hands emerging into being from fur and claws plucks the slivers of blood slick metal away from her stricken comrades, holds them aloft and whispers a single multi-syllable word in a tongue that is but fragments of a once vast language of creation.

OOC: Caith casts ANTIDOTE to break down the substance that afflicts Alphail and Deise.
This message was last edited by the player at 10:02, Thu 24 Sept 2020.

Colm sent small bursts of flame up into the air to fall as embers illuminating the area.

In reply to Colm Cernach (msg # 30):

Osric, Gat and Usopi dashed forwards towards the enemy even as Caith came up and dragged Aphail back away from the field.

Doron slips past the others in the narrow confines and follows Osric and co. some 10m behind.

As Leofwyn moves back she is followed by Turren and Giles, she reaches Deise as the two men join up with Uthen and Brannon and begin to approach the enemy at the rear.

OOC:


Current Positions:

DH1
DH2,DH3
(10m)
Gat,Osric,Usopi
(10m)
Doron
(10m)
Colm
Caith, Aphail
Leofwyn,Deise
Turren,Giles
(5m)
Uthen,Brannon
(20m)
DH4,DH5
DH6.

Ok Everyone at the front end can close and engage this round, passageway is only 2 people wide.  Those at the rear can full move to close but not engage this round.
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:56, Thu 24 Sept 2020.

Usopi pushed onward, getting in front of Gat. The hound was strong and tough, but the knight saw no need for Gat to stand on the front lines. Besides, if the fighting toward the rear of their line took a turn for the worse Gat would be able to reach them much faster than any of the bipedal fighters.

He swung with his mace the moment he got within range of the figures who'd ambushed their group.

Osric’s snarl matches Gat’s as he charges forward and closes the gap to their opponents. His finely honed Combat Instincts are poised to anticipate his foe’s every move.  He cleaves mightily at the same ambusher Usopi is striking at, keen to blood his magnificent silver blade and to wipe away the taint of cowardice he experienced on the approach to Nem.

OOC 19:41, Today: Osric Grim rolled 11,12 using 1d20,1d10+4.  Ghost Eye, ABR for hopefully a massive 9HP damage! That hits DEF 13 so fingers crossed we can strike back! "

Sir Turren salutes the prince with growing respect and falls in with Leaf and Giles, helping as needed, but ready to break into combat at a blink. He follows his orders to the letter.

As Leaf begins hauling Deise backwards, her eyes catch a glimpse of the figures, illuminated by Colm's cinders.

Wanting to help, but not wanting to do any of her friends harm, she looks around for anything she might be able to use. Her eyes came to the strange plants at the top of the wall, and without thinking too much about the nature of these plants, she attempts to call on them to aide her and her companions.

OOC: Leaf casts ROOTS for 5MP.

Brannon glances uneasily at Uthen and gives him a curt nod. "I lack your martial prowess, Sir Uthen, but I shall do my best. The Hearthmother bless and protect us..."

Otherwise he keeps his eyes on the enemy, sword and shield at the ready to engage them.

Colm called on the elemental forces of air to still his mind and stimulate currents of thought and intellect.

In reply to Colm Cernach (msg # 37):

Assuming Giles Darksight spell takes effect he will follow up with a casting of Mystic Blast at the nearest adversary he can “see”

2nd Round:

Caith drops the twin blades into the rag on her lap, ties and scoops the bundle aside for now then puts a hand to Alphail's throat, feeling for a pulse, and listening to his breathing, hoping and praying that her cobbled together shambles of an antidote did the trick.

The hedgewitch turns to Deise and repeats her rapid examination, murmuring the same  word as she tries to heal a hurt she barely comprehends, working by instinct and experience as much as reasoning now.

OCC: Caith casts ANTIDOTE on Deise.

Caith hurriedly pulls a green glass bottle from one of her many belt pouches, and slices the wax sealing it's stopper open with a thumbnail as she drags the stealthy little man into a more upright position against her, intent on slowly pouring a healing elixir down his throat.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:03, Fri 25 Sept 2020.

Sir Uthen moved forward engaging the enemy beside Brannon as his opponents did the same. His opponent ducked under the blow easily as he lunged forward.

Two daggers flew out of the darkness towards both Giles and Doron both struck the men in the chest but their armour prevented any real harm.

There was a flurry of blades at both ends of the group, the four pairs of fighters weaved and ducked but most were unable to land a blow, Usopi found an opening and thrust at his enemys heart, he hit but the blow was stymied by something beneath its sable outfit.  His enemy slid its own blade along his own with sickening force driving the point of its blade straight through his breastplate. Osrics blade cut effortlessly into the dark form before him but he saw no blood issue from the wound. Brannon fought valiantly but failed to land a hit.

Giles focused his internal energies and glared at one of the forms before him...

Leofwyn calls on her command of nature and some of the vines descend and wrap around one of the cloaked forms holding it fast.

Gat darted forth between Usopis legs and lunged at his masters attacker, but his fangs weren't able to penetrate.

Doron nocked an arrow and fired at the figure that threw a dagger at him. The shaft flew true but there was no reaction from the struck figure to show it even felt it.

Colms intellect and senses sharpened in response to his dweomer.

Unable to directly engage, Turren nocked one of his fae arrows and fired at the one who had attacked Giles. The arrow thudded hard into the centre of the figures chest with no reaction.

Having now brought Aphail back to conciousness, Caith turned to Deise and cast the same dweomer on him.


OOC:

DH1
DH2,DH3
Gat,Osric,Usopi
Doron
(10m)
Colm
Caith, Aphail
Leofwyn,Deise
(5m)
Turren,Giles
Uthen,Brannon
DH4,DH5
DH6.



16:16, Today: GM, on behalf of Sir Uthen of Sadley, rolled 10,6 using 1d20,1d8.  ATT 18 - DEF 10.


20:47, Today: GM, for the NPC Darkheart 6, rolled 12,1 using 1d20,1d3.  ATT 18 - MOD 4.Hits Giles but fails ABR.

20:46, Today: GM, for the NPC Darkheart 1, rolled 4,2 using 1d20,1d3.  ATT 18 - MOD 4. Hits Doron but fails ABR.

21:00, Today: GM, for the NPC Darkheart 5, rolled 13,6 using 1d20,1d8.  ATT 18 - DEF 8. vs Brannon. Miss.

20:58, Today: GM, for the NPC Darkheart 4, rolled 10,8 using 1d20,1d8.  ATT 18 - DEF 13. vs Uthen. Miss.

20:57, Today: GM, for the NPC Darkheart 3, rolled 6,8 using 1d20,1d8.  ATT 18 - DEF 10. vs Usopi. Hit.
21:02, Today: GM, on behalf of Usopi Venia, rolled 5 using 1d6.  Shield. Fail. -4 hp Usopi.

20:55, Today: GM, for the NPC Darkheart 2, rolled 2,2 using 1d20,1d8.  ATT 18 - DEF 18. vs Osric. Miss.

Caith casts Antidote on Aphail restoring him to conciousness on 1 hp.  Next round she will do the same for Deise.

19:41, Today: Osric Grim rolled 11,12 using 1d20,1d10+4. -9 hp to DH2

21:11, Today: GM, on behalf of Usopi Venia, rolled 8,1 using 1d20,1d6.  ATT 18 - DEF 10.

21:14, Today: GM, on behalf of Brannon Darrow, rolled 20,6 using 1d20,1d8.  ATT 13 - DEF 10.

21:11, Today: GM, on behalf of Usopi Venia, rolled 8,1 using 1d20,1d6.  ATT 18 - DEF 10.

21:26, Today: GM, on behalf of Giles, rolled 19 using 2d10.  SPD 16 vs EVA 6.Miss.


09:46, Today: GM, for the NPC Gat, rolled 20,1 using 1d20,1d4.  ATT 20 - DEF 0.

22:34, Yesterday: GM, on behalf of Leofwyn, rolled 6 using 2d10.  SPD 16 vs EVA 6.

22:34, Yesterday: GM, on behalf of Leofwyn, rolled 18 using 2d10.  SPD 16 vs EVA 6.

09:56, Today: GM, on behalf of Prince Doron, rolled 3,2 using 1d20,1d6+1.  ATT 19 - MOD 4.


10:23, Today: GM, on behalf of Sir Turren Uvedale, rolled 4,5 using 1d20,1d6+3.  ATT 20 - MOD 4. - 7 hp to DH6.

This message was last edited by the GM at 00:34, Sat 26 Sept 2020.

Teeth grit, Sir Turren lets off a second fey arrow at the same vile knave, keen to give Giles heavy fire support.

'Giles if you need to switch with me in a beat, say the word my man!'

In reply to Sir Turren Uvedale (msg # 41):

“My thanks Sir Turren all is well at present” Giles takes the chance of another casting of Mystic Blast- and narrowly avoids psychic overload. Biting hard on his lip he resolves to use his sword in future rounds
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:47, Sat 26 Sept 2020.

Osric’s eyebrows arch in surprise that his foe still stands after his first mighty blow.  He quickly reverses his blade and deals a brutal backhanded blow aiming to separate his foe from his head!

OOC 17:12, Today: Osric Grim rolled 11,5 using 1d20,1d10+4.  Ghost Eye, ABR for hopefully 9HP damage hits DEF 13

Alphail mutters "Whathefek..." as he finds himself not where he thought he was, and naught but a small bloody wound to show for the clawing that made him weak as a kitten moments ago.

"I am grateful to still be breathing, Lady..." he says in thanks, eyes to the grey canopy the sky hides behind for a second, then cautiously lifts himself a little higher as he looks about, seeking further information on the current state of the expedition.