"With pleasure," remarks the elf, drawing his bow and immediately letting an arrow fly to the spot where a hobbit might have stood in the darkness of the arch. And a fine shot it is too.


14:46, Today: Lanliss rolled 20 using 1d20+1.  attack roll, longbow.
14:46, Today: Lanliss rolled 1 using 1d6.  dmg.

A high-pitched cry of pain in the distance is followed by enraged yowling, and a creature launches itself out of the darkened archway.  It travels on four feet, moving fast, patchy fur interspersed with areas of pale flesh that is riddled with weeping sores, and leads with sharp and ratlike teeth bared.  A second creature is just a few yards behind the first, but doesn't have an arrow sticking out of it like the lead animal.  Shouts in a high, rasping language come from the archway, and it sounds like a plurality of speaking creatures are excitedly calling out to one another.  Multiple sets of reddish eyes appear inside of the arch, reflected in the dim light.

OOC:
You guys have initiative.  I'm going to discard the BECMI initiative and just have you guys take turns with me.  Lanliss got the first shot in, in a surprise round, and there's quite a bit of distance between you and the archway, so you'll have another round of missile attacks available to you before the quadrupeds get to you, and first strike when they do get there.

"Looks like Hamburg's family and pets are here!"

Lanliss switched immediately from jokery to casting his Sleep spell upon the space beneath the archway.

Cast Sleep.

Voran's eyes go wide and he raises his holy symbol, uttering an intercession that wraps the group.

Cast Bless, giving everyone in the party +1 to hit, +1 to damage and +1 to morale for 6 turns.

Roak chortles and, picking his target, fires his bow...

Fire short bow at a creature that remains standing after Sleep, preferably an injured creature. Hits AC 2 (note: I forgot to add +1 for Bless, so total should really be 15) for 4 hp nonmagical damage.

17:21, Today: Roak The Quick rolled 4 using 1d6+1.  Damage. – 4
17:20, Today: Roak The Quick rolled 14 using 1d20+2.  Short bow, preferably on damaged creature. – 14

Hamburg raised his lantern with one gloved hand in order to cast just a little more light on the foes they now faced. His other hand reached forward, palm upward as if waiting for something to be placed in it. He didn't wait long. The disembodied hand, skeletal in form, which frequented his person, skittered off his shoulder. It dragged with it a dart from the quiver at the odd wizard's back. This dart was perhaps the length of Hamburg's forearm from fingertip to elbow, weighted slightly with a heavy point, and fletched with black feathers. He'd had them custom made for him prior to their departure upon this new outing.

With a quick flick of his wrist, Hamburg sent the dart hurtling toward his foes, even as the pull of his magic began to tug at the edges of his mind.


Dart Attack: Hamburg rolled 4 to miss!

The distant sound of several bodies collapsing, presumably, is masked by the noise of the two charging quadrupedal creatures.  Roak drops an arrow into the one in the lead, which Lanliss had previously struck, and while it stumbles and yelps in pain, it keeps coming on, as does its companion, and both will be in range to bite and savage the party very soon.

A cry of alarm comes from the archway, and an arrow flashes back toward the group, and Hamburg's lantern, cutting through it and causing the weird wizard to drop it, its light going out.  Hamburg and Elder Voran suddenly find themselves unable to see in the darkness.


OOC:
08:53, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 3,4,7,19 using 1d20,1d20,1d20,1d20 - Save vs. Spell.
10:24, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 12,6 using 1d20,1d6.  Attack, Damage vs. Hamburg's lantern.

Alright, guys.  They'll get to you this round, but you have initiative.

Roak shouts, "VORAN! GRAB THE LANTERN AND OIL FROM MY PACK!"

Having no issues with the dark Lanliss steps to the fore with sword and shield up, ready to meet the attack. Anything that came close would soon regret their decision.

21:50, Today: Lanliss rolled 13 using 1d20+4.  attack roll, sword.
21:57, Today: Lanliss rolled 10 using 1d8+4.  dmg.

Were it not for the strange mask Hamburg perpetually wore, as well as the darkness they suddenly found themselves within, the party members might have seen Hamburg's jaw drop nearly to the floor. He stood stunned for a few brief moments...

"Fell sorcery Creeth! Dangerous! What foe has the power to snuff the light of an eternal flame?" Hamburg seemed to be consulting himself and the stuffed raven wired to his shoulder. The raven said nothing of course, though its ruby eyes seemed to glow ever so faintly in the gloom.

In a rush, the odd wizard picked the lantern off the floor and began shouting arcane and eldritch words of power at it. He seemed to grow increasingly frustrated that the sickly green light did not immediately burst back into existence. He was about to throw it at the oncoming attackers, but paused.

"Yes! Yes, that is correct my pet, sinister sorcery might have snuffed the magical manifestation of illumination, but a conventional flame might still work!"

Hamburg knelt and began fussing with flint and steel to get the lantern re-lit!


Taking turn to relight the lantern!

Lanliss' blade takes the throat and part of the jaw out of the lead quadruped, and it falls both heavily and wetly, no longer moving.  The second, however, is hot on its heels and leaps to bite at the elf, slipping in its compatriot's blood and deeply failing to connect.

Another arrow flies out of the dark, from the direction of the archway, and high-pitched, harsh shouting is heard from what is probably a single voice.  The arrow misses Elder Voran by a wide margin.

As Hamburg struggles, he finally manages to get his lantern lit again, the small spark from the flint leaping to the tattered wick, and the sickly little flame coming to life again with far less effort than it should have taken.

OOC:
07:13, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 5,6 using 1d20,1d6.  Attack, Damage vs. Lanliss.
07:14, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 5,6 using 1d20,1d6.  Attack, Damage vs. Elder Voran.

The dead quadruped's blood seemed to be everywhere, and now it was Lanliss' turn to slip in it as he tried to fend off the other creature.

16:09, Today: Lanliss rolled 7 using 1d20+4 ((3)).

Seeing this, Voran shakes his head in disagreement with Roak. He pulls out his sling and flings a stone at the charging beasts...

Attack with sling; hits ac 7 (forgot to add +1 for Bless, ironically). If that miraculously hits, does 6 damage.

22:14, Today: Elder Voran rolled 6 using 1d4+2.  Damage, just in case. – 6
22:13, Today: Elder Voran rolled 9 using 1d20+3.  Sling on wounded beast. – 9

Roak snorts. He drops his bow and, drawing his blade, steps forward to meet the foes...

Attack a dog-thing with longsword. I forgot  to add Bless again. Hits AC 1 for 4 damage.

22:16, Today: Roak The Quick rolled 4 using 1d8+3.  Damage. – 4
22:15, Today: Roak The Quick rolled 15 using 1d20+3.  Attack on beast. – 15

Hamburg lifted the lantern high, inspecting it as the creatures rushed towards them. With a sigh of satisfaction, he pulled a dart from the quiver at his back and threw it with an awkward overhand cast. It was clear he'd only recently begun to practice the technique...

Dart attack: Hamburg Hartclimber rolled 13 to hit AC6 for 2 damage.

Lanliss and Elder Voran both fail to connect with the one remaining doglike creature, but Roak cuts into it in the confusion of the melee.  The creature snarls and snaps at the halfling, but cannot find an opening past Roak's defenses.

Another arrow flies weakly out of the darkness, accompanied by a sharp, hollow, twanging sound.  The harsh, angry voice in the distance is getting more agitated, and you hear footsteps rapidly moving toward you.

OOC:
07:09, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 10,6 using 1d20,1d6.
07:10, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 1,2 using 1d20,1d6.

Steadying himself on the treacherous ground Lanliss aimed another swipe at the quadruped, but he had to dodge an arrow at the last second and his sword slid harmlessly by.

16:17, Today: Lanliss rolled 8 using 1d20+4 ()).

Sickly green light painted a frightening picture as Lanliss swiped away at the ferocious creature. Hamburg pulled another dart free of his quiver and tried to time the attack. His arm, growing weary already from the physical exertion, faltered as he made his cast. A rather frustrated sound escaped the confines of his mask.

Dart Attack: Hamburg Hartclimber rolled 8 to miss!

Voran can't seem to get the hang of his aim and flings another stone well above the attacker.

AC 9. :-(

22:45, Today: Elder Voran rolled 8 using 1d20+4.  Another Sling Stone (adding Bless). – 8

Roak continues his hopping around, aiming another slash at the foe.

Hits AC 4 for 5 hp.

22:46, Today: Roak The Quick rolled 5 using 1d8+4.  Damage. – 5
22:46, Today: Roak The Quick rolled 13 using 1d20+4.  Melee attack on dog-thing w/Bless. – 13

Everyone except for Roak misses over the next several seconds, but the halfling scores a deep cut through the second dog-like creature's bowels.  Innards are starting to slip out, but the thing lunges and snaps at Roak even so, continuing to fail to find an opening in his defense.

A single goblin comes racing out of the darkness, from the direction of the archway, brandishing a small sword.  The path is winding and the footing is treacherous, so you all catch sight of him a bit before he manages to close to melee range.

OOC:
11:17, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 3,1 using 1d20,1d6.  Attack, Damage

You'll get initiative over him for one more round, but if you don't manage to  kill him, he'll be attacking at the end of this next round.

Seeing the goblin headed his way, Voran wheels and flings a stone that catches the goblin straight in the face! "That's more like it!" he says under his breath.

Natural 20! That hits AC -7, for the record. :-) Does 4 hp damage.

14:50, Today: Elder Voran rolled 4 using 1d4+3.  Damage. – 4
14:50, Today: Elder Voran rolled 24 using 1d20+4.  Sling on incoming goblin. – 24

Roak, smirking as he dodges, whirls and aims for the dog-thing's wound, scoring an easy hit...

Good grief--exact same rolls. Lovely dicebot. Natural 20, hitting AC -7, for 5 hp.

14:52, Today: Roak The Quick rolled 5 using 1d8+4. – 5
14:52, Today: Roak The Quick rolled 24 using 1d20+4.  Attack the dog-thing. – 24

OOC:
According to the rules & rulings, when you get a natural 20, you roll damage twice (including bonuses) and add both results:

link to a message in this game

Give me another damage roll each, on top of what you already rolled.

The odd wizard reached out his gloved hand once more. The skeletal appendage grasped a dart from the quiver at his back and dragged it quickly into place. Hamburg cocked his arm and aimed carefully. After several long moments, the shaft hissed toward the target! A very satisfying SHHHHHUUCK! sound let him know his throw had been successful!

Nat 20 hits AC-1 for 7 damage! Three in a row!!!
Hamburg Hartclimber rolled 21,2 using d20+1,d4+1 ((20,1)).
Hamburg Hartclimber rolled 5 using 1d4+1 ((4)).