In reply to Boreas Highwind (msg # 457):

Team Siege

The walls loom closer into your field of vision, and it becomes clear that the gates are still shut. General Reeves bellows all the louder, even as the column's closer proximity allows a smattering of arrows to pierce through the wall of air.

OOC: When I said 2 Rounds last time, I wasn't counting the surprise round that was happening concurrent to the charge's beginning. Still 2 Rounds 'til arrival.

Team Griffin

Several of the archers have taken note of the double-mounted griffin and are taking pot shots at it. Fortunately, these shafts have thus far missed or plinked off of Maeve's armor.

"Higher, Major?" the cleric asks, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Or... a more direct approach, perhaps?"

Team Infiltration

Guard B crumples into a heap even as the kelp springs to life all around the gatehouse. The battle continues, though rather one-sidedly.

~~ Disposition ~~

Battle Grid: https://docs.google.com/spread...3M/edit#gid=41495981



Guard A gets a wild look in his eyes, then crawls over the wheel to make a beeline toward Keef. He only makes it as far as F8, though, where he becomes entangled by the grappling strands of kelp.

"Frumious, the bandersnatch!" he states with confidence and authority. "SNICKER SNACK!"

Guard D, standing nearby, glances at him incredulously, then looks back at the pair of casters who have seen fit to assault them.

"HELP!" he bellows. "To arms! To arms! We're under attack!"
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:43, Tue 22 Sept 2015.

A stream of soldiers rush into the room. Strangely, they are all unarmed.

"You fools!" the lead captain yells. "You weren't supposed to show up yet! You'll ruin the surprise!"

He spins around smartly on his heel. "MEN! ENACT THE PLAN!"

Boreas and Keef clear the way while a team of soldiers rush to the wheel. A harsh grinding ensues, audible over the grunting of the soldiers as the wheel slowly turns. Finally, with a deafening clank, the gate falls into place, and several things happen at once.

First, the advancing tide of Choso's soldiers rush into the gatehouse below. At the same time, the soldiers upend the bubbling pots into the murder holes. As the liquid spills, however, it turns into an explosion of streamers and paper confetti.

A trumpet line can be heard on the ramparts above, and large banner unfurls from the ceiling, reading in several different languages:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR OMNIPOTENT BEING OF SURPREME POWER!!!

Balloons drop from netting hidden in the corners of the room, and one of the soldiers brings in a cake.

The besieging soldiers below all begin cheering and singing, albeit horribly off key.

Auriel pokes his head up from one of the now-vacated murder holes. "We're starting early?"
This message was last edited by the player at 17:38, Tue 22 Sept 2015.

Maeve looks down from on high into the courtyard as the festivities begin.

"Oh wow, it's an ice cream cake!  They'd better have used chocolate ice cream, or there will be hell to pay."

An emerald flash cracks through the air of the gatehouse, followed by a pop.

Lyriel materialized in a flicker of fire. Am I late? Sorry, I burned the first batch and had to start over. Lyriel holds out a hefty basket of what appear to be meticulously decorated red velvet cupcakes, and a tray of cookies.

Something in the corner of the room catches her eyes. Ooooh, chocolate ice cream cake!
This message was last edited by the player at 15:01, Tue 22 Sept 2015.

Primal Voice, little help?

Seconds later, a thumping bass beat reverberates from the air around Boreas.  His eye lights up in scintillating patterns, always shifting, spinning on the walls.  The party starts here!  He begins to weave between the celebrants as they form a line behind him.  It's a traditional dance from the deep forests of Kon'ga.  They'd use it to celebrate their most sacred holidays.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:41, Thu 24 Sept 2015.

In reply to Boreas Highwind (msg # 462):

Oh... but... Keef stammers.

I mean you didn't TELL me...

He rolls back his robes and splays his fingers.  Once again bands of various light spray out, but this time instead of causing fire, lightening and poison, they reflect off of the spinning mirror orb hanging, conveniently, in the ceiling and where the beams strike, there is funk.

In reply to Keef (msg # 463):

I hunger... for cake.

In reply to Ka, the Eternal Maw (msg # 464):

"Dessert from the heart of the desert! Dig in!"
This message was last edited by the player at 15:44, Tue 22 Sept 2015.

In reply to Ari Hassan (msg # 465):

"A natural delight!"

In reply to Cassie (msg # 466):

"The P.A.R.T.Y.'s party is enough to wake the dead!"

In reply to Baldwin (Deceased) (msg # 467):

"It has been an honor celebrating with you."

In reply to Edrahil Silendril (msg # 468):

"I LOVE CAKE!"

In reply to Ma'or (msg # 469):

"Thus concludes my plans to transform Nekria into the People's Dance Club!"

In reply to Morachiga Choso (msg # 470):

"Happy B-"

Giles doesn't make it another syllable before being utterly annihilated by a flurry of firebolts, lightning strikes, and more than one verbal assault.

From somewhere in the far-off land of babes, milk, and honey, you could swear you see Sazed wink.
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:50, Tue 22 Sept 2015.

In reply to Giles Thistleworth (Deceased) (msg # 471):

Seriously, guys, thanks so much. That was an absolute joy to read, and an amazing surprise :)

Back to business:

"I don't think you're going to necessarily like what I have in mind.  Hang on tight. And maybe have a featherfall ready to go."

Suddenly, the griffon which had been harrassing enemy troops from the air is now very much in the face of said enemy troops, as Maeve dive bombs them, annihilating Giles in the process.

Mmmmmmmmm cake

In reply to Maeve Hassan (msg # 473):

Team Storm the Walls

Maeve, her trusty steed, and her protesting passenger dive at the troops on the wall, earning that section's undivided attention.

~~ Disposition ~~

There are scores of soldiers milling about the walls, giving you ample targets while providing ample threat. For every platoon of a dozen archers, there is one sergeant armed with strange bladed weapon you recognize as perfect for hacking through the hooks of siege ladders.

The parapets are only wide enough for two men to stand comfortably, though you could slide a third through if you were careful. The archers stand two deep, using the crenelations for cover against outside arrows.

Maeve seems to have earned the attention of one platoon, for the moment. They turn their bows toward you.

OOC: Did you intend to buzz the wall with a dive attack, or actually land there?


This message was last edited by the GM at 16:47, Tue 22 Sept 2015.

The kelp continues to whip, wrapping Guards A and D.

[Grapples: Success]

The strands already wrapped around Guard C squeeze him tightly.

[Damage: 9]

Boreas takes aim, firing a bolt of energy at Guard C.  It sizzles past the grappled A and D and strikes C directly in the head.  He slumps over in the kelp, dead.

[Ranged Touch with Cover: 29]
[Damage: 36]

Boreas ducks out of the way to H7.

As their turns begin, the remaining guards are chilled by the kelp's aura.

[Cold Damage to A: 8]
[Cold Damage to D: 3]
This message was last edited by the player at 21:53, Thu 24 Sept 2015.

Sekhmet swoops gracefully through the ranks before taking to the skies once again for another pass.  Maeve's guisarme slices through archers A, C, and D, as well as taking a chunk out of the sergeant.

[Attack: 37]
[Damage: 25]

"Sorry!" she calls a bit sheepishly to the now rather-green cleric.

[If I understand Aaron's disposition correctly, I can hack my way through one-third of the enemies at a single go.  That right?]
This message was last edited by the player at 00:26, Fri 25 Sept 2015.

In reply to Maeve Hassan (msg # 476):

A long thin beam of red energy darts and spirals from Keef's fingertips, drilling into Guard D's chest and out the other side of him.  He too collapses in a bloody, freezing heap.

In reply to Keef (msg # 477):

Team Siege

The walls loom closer than ever. The gates are still shut. General Reeves raises his sword and plows onward. Auriel glances upward and seeing a feathery mass of griffon and steel slam into the archers above the walls, drawing significant fire away from the column.

OOC: 1 round left

Team Infiltration

Most of the guards are dead, and all of them are "neutralized." There is a LOT of shouting going on outside, though, and lots of boots moving up and down the stairwell. None seem to be headed for the gatehouse, however. Not yet, anyway.

~~ Disposition ~~

Battle Grid: https://docs.google.com/spread...3M/edit#gid=41495981



Guard A is left alone to contemplate the mysteries of the mind. He babbles and tears at his hair before pointing at Boreas and declaring him to be "a quetzalcoatl" in no uncertain terms. The grasping kelp continues to contain him, undeterred.
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:19, Mon 28 Sept 2015.

In reply to DM (msg # 478):

Just... get him out of this room!  Keef points to the helpless man stuck in kelp.

Then you get out, it's about to get very dangerous in here!

Keef rolls back his long sleeves.

Boreas nods to Keef.  Alright.  Let's get that gate open.

Within a moment, the kelp recedes.

[Dismissing Arctic Grasp]

Boreas heads down the stairs.

In reply to Boreas Highwind (msg # 480):

Keef blinks and lets his sleeves slowly fall back down.

He then shakes his head and goes about herding the mindless guard out of the room with Longshank and stern language.

Once the man is safely outside, he closes the door and gets to work...

In a moment, the entire floor and any windowed walls are sheathed in a thick layer of ice that plugs up the murder holes as well as, to a degree, blocks the doors from opening inward.

He then rubs his hands together vigorously and a thick foul-smelling green smoke begins to pour out from between them.  Cloying and heavy, it sinks to the floor and begins to fill the room.

Then, Keef sets about turning the wheel...

[Private to GM: OOC:  So that's Ice Wall then Cloudkill.  If Keef can't turn the wheel himself or can only turn it slowly, which is likely, he'll first try Bull's Strength and if that isn't enough he'll try to polymorph into something very strong but with hands.  Needless to say, he should have Battleclad up already.]

In reply to Keef (msg # 481):

Team Aerial Strike

Maeve, her trusty steed, and her de-facto trusty cleric stay put just a few feet from the parapet. Her shattering blows deal a significant blow to the archers, but their sergeant rallies them with a combination of shouting and gesturing.

The only words Maeve understands, however, are the final two: "Set! Serve!"

[Attack (Maeve) x 8: 24,18,20,26,18,29,28,21]

Three of the barbs find their mark this time, chunking into her shoulder and thighs.

[Damage (Maeve): 16]

The cleric hurriedly grasps her holy symbol and chants, immediately summoning an magical field around her immediate person. It glows with a chaotic blast of multicolored hues, and the cleric looks much less nervous than before.

[Casting: Entropic Shield (cleric)]

The sergeant narrows his eyes and drinks a potion of some sort, but takes no other action.



Team Infiltration

Boreas begins to slip down the stairs, but he passes Carnaue heading upward.

"Is it done? Is the gatehouse secure? There are guards everywhere." he whispers to Boreas. His tone is not hurried, but there is urgency in his eye.

Nearby, a metallic sound can be heard as a thick layer of ice springs into place in the gatehouse proper. The pair amble downstairs quietly, leaving the mage to his task.

Team Charge

General Reeves, Auriel, and the rest of the cavalry arrive to find the gate still down, though far fewer projectiles are raining down that they expected. The infantry is still struggling to cross the field, and the horses whinny nervously after having been reigned in to an abrupt halt at the front of the door.

"Rams! NOW!" the general bellows, leaping from his horse to grab part of the foremost battering ram himself. "With me! HEAVE!"

Team Infiltration

Keef fills the room with a choking cloud of putrid smoke (Round 1) and attempts to turn the wheel by hand (Round 2). The heavy wheel barely budges, causing the young mage to mutter quietly to himself. Red energy springs from his fingertips to his legs, shoulders, and biceps as they surge with renewed vigor (Round 3). Keef tries the wheel again, but even magically empowered, his strength is not equal to that of four men. The wheels grinds slowly, very slowly, and the mage scowls (Round 4).

Team Siege

Arrows rain down from the battlements as the defenders cheer their approval of the forces stuck outside the gate. General Reeves and his soldiers slam against gates once (Round 1), twice (Round 2), thrice (Round 3), but are clearly far from making any headway on the barrier. Many of the men with you are wounded by glancing blows, though none have yet died.

The gate suddenly trembles and lifts ever so slowly, raising about two inches before your eyes (Round 4).

"They have it! Remount! Prepare to charge!" General Reeves shouts, relief washing across his features. "We must make the most of this!"

Team Infiltration

Keef mutters more words of arcane power, and his body groans and twists into a hideous ogre (Round 5). He lifts his brutish arms, clenches the wheels, and plows around it for all he's worth (Round 6). It takes him four more rounds to complete his task and secure the wheel with the chain intended for that purpose, but the deed is done (Round 7-10).

Team Siege

Shields are raised as the gate opens, though arrows continue to rain down on the assembled troops. Soon, the gates are open, and General Reeves leads the charge through the tunnel and into the mass of armed men standing on the other side of the gateway.

They look surprised indeed, and are quickly overrun. General Reeves' soldiers fan out to secure control of the gatehouse, and the melee is joined in earnest.

~~ Recap Disposition ~~

Boreas and Carnaue watch the battle from a nearby alley, from which Boreas can clearly see Auriel as he rides majestically through the gate.

Wisps of greenish smoke and drips of water can be seen escaping from the gatehouse's windows and various murderholes, but so far Keef has failed to materialize.

Maeve has another 7 rounds of so to mop up the archers before her timeline will be caught up with the present. OOC: I predict it will only take 3 more rounds, tops.

Battle rages all around you, but unless you dawdle or specifically seek out combat, you can escape through the carnage into the burning city streets, making your way toward the Cathedral (or any other destination) as desired.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:00, Mon 28 Sept 2015.