It is at this point that a volley of six needle-like objects flies towards the group from the other end of the tunnel. They fly towards the three remaining party members.
???: Attack: 9, 15, 11, 15, 19, 4
Vaga dodges two of the the needles without difficulty. However, Guston and Anduin are not as fortunate, as a needle strikes each of them. Guston gets hit in the shoulder and falls onto his back. Anduin gets hit in the stomach, but the needle bounces off of his Stoneskin.
Across from them, on the other side of the pit, a huge, grinning beast with the body of lion, head of a man, and tail of a scorpion stands and gives them a nod. “Well now, it appears out time to strike has come, Julius,” it says.
Another such beast walks forward from the opposite direction, dispelling its invisibility. “Quite right, Alexander,” it says with a smile, and it lunges towards Vaga.
Julius: Attack: 14, 22, 7
And one of its claws hits him, causing him to stumble back.
Alexander snarls as he ducks under the fireball. It explodes, causing the tunnel behind him to collapse. The earth around the party trembles from the force of the explosion.
Meanwhile, Kaled’s group, as well as Ignatius and Fiora hear the explosion. Emeril draws her katana and yells “Let’s go! Quickly!” She takes off in the direction of the explosion, and Harvey and Butter follow behind her.
Ignatius, meanwhile, is struggling to keep up with Fiora’s descent, as her armor pulls her down at a very fast pace. In the span of a few seconds, she hits the ground below.
Fiora: Fortitude save: 2+4=6 (using the real numbers this time)
She hears her legs snap as she lands feet-first onto the floor. She crumples, unable to move.
When Ignatius reaches the bottom of the pit, he sees Fiora lying injured and unconscious. Ignatius realizes that it would be impossible for him alone to heal Fiora since he has neither any potions nor any such skills. Moreover, he's not strong enough to carry Fiora.
And then he notices the Gauntlets of Ogre Power on Fiora's hands. Without hesitation, he takes them off her hands and wears them himself. With newfound Herculean strength surging through his lax muscles, he lifts Fiora and her equipment, holds them with a firm grip, and makes way towards the top of the pit.
When they'll be near the top, Ignatius will cast invisibility on both himself and Fiora, since he knows there are Manticores about.
Seeing Ignatius follow Fiu down, Vaga cannot do much. He has his old trusty rope still around his waist, but since Ignatius can fly he doesn't unfold it and cast it down now. Also, there's two huge manticores that need urgent attention.
Being the only one untouched after the first strike, though suffering from a claw attach, Vaga realizes he have to muster his strength and his training and stand his ground until the group can fight back as a team. He tries to stun the nearest manticore, Alexander, who attacked Vaga just now with a stunning fist attack. Since Julius is on the other side of the pit, Vaga ignores him for now. The gnome can shoot magic at him but I cannot do anything until he crosses the pit, he thinks to himself.
The one on your side is Julius. Alexander is the one on the other side, unless Anduin means he threw a Fireball at point blank range.
Vaga: Attack: 3+4=7, 12+4=16
Julius jumps back to avoid Vaga’s first attack, but Vaga presses forward with a second attack and punches him in the nose. The beast snarls and retaliates with its claws and teeth.
Julius: Attack: 21, 10, 25 (crit)
His first claw takes across Vaga’s chest, leaving a long, jagged scar, but Vaga ducks under the second claw. As he ducks, however, Julius opens his massive jaws and lunges forward, taking a bite out of Vaga’s shoulder.
Alexander, who now sees Anduin as the biggest threat, flicks his tail and sends six more sharpened needles at the gnome.
Alexander: Attack: 16, 11, 3, 16, 9, 20
Four needles hit, but bounce off of his Stoneskin yet again. However, parts of the stone covering Anduin’s body are beginning to chip away.
As stated before, I have no experience with IWD2. How many stunning fists (ki based I guess) does a level 3 monk have per day? Do I get a second attempt? If I can't stun this manticore, I'm a dead dwarf, heh..
Luckily for Vaga, his pain threshold is ridiculously high which let's him continue on even though his body is breaking down. The slash to his chest tears through muscle, but the pain only makes him more focused. Vaga knows he's no threat vs this mighty beast, but it's his purpose to stand his ground and die for the mission. So he does just that.
Vaga launches another flurry of blows (the first attack is a stunning fist again, if I still have unspent Ki)
Anduin casts Lightning Bolt, and a bolt of lightning arcs forth from his fingertips... straight into the unsuspecting Vaga’s back as he stands fighting the manticore. Vaga falls unconscious instantly, and Julius catches the bolt in the face as well. He growls as as his face is badly burned. However, he smiles when he sees Vaga crumple to the ground. “Dear me,” he says. “You must not have liked that one very much.”
Guston casts Chant just as Vaga goes down, and now he, Anduin, and Ignatius, who is invisible but now with them, feel the spell’s effects wash over them. Julius and Alexander both also feel the effects.
As this is going on, Kaled’s group gets to the second fork. They see Alexander standing with his back turned to them. They also hear the sounds of fighting. Emeril rushes forward and attacks the manticore from behind, while Harvey starts casting a spell.
Alexander: Reflex save: 1+2=3
Alexander roars suddenly, as a thick, stone wall rises up around him, trapping him and keeping him pinned in place.
Ignatius, invisible and holding Fiora tight, levitates out of the pit. He sees that Kaled and the others have arrived, so he hovers to the part of the corridor just behind them. He then descends to a safe position, away from the sight of the Manticores and gently places Fiora on the ground. He then dispels the invisibility on Fiora (so that they can find her later) and joins in the fray.
Ignatius unleashes a furious onslaught of his Psychic blades on Alexander, at first slashing on his eyes (trying to scoop them out), then slicing his tail, and then moving on to the other vital organs of the trapped Manticore.
Since Alexander is technically "held", I believe all the attacks should hit him, regardless of the rolls? (Since that's what happens in the games.)
Julius, seeing Alexander suddenly being enveloped by a wall and killed, cries out “Alexander, no!” He leaps at the nearest party member, which is Guston, and makes his attacks.
Julius: Attack: 15, 13, 17
And one of his claws swats Guston, and his teeth bite into the poor cleric, and he throws him to the wall. Guston slumps over, unconscious. Before Julius can do anything else, however, Harvey casts another spell.
Julius: Reflex save: 15+2=17
And he screams as a column of fire strikes him. He then slumps forward, dead.
"Little gnome, good gnome, your attention I beckon, For another here fallen has need of your skill, The noble paladin lies injured, I reckon, And 'twill be good if her suffering you can heal."
I still learn them, study them, memorise them... Destructive spells. I am a fool. Such spells can only cause harm...
Ignatius says:
"Magic can heal as well as harm, Just as fires both burn and warm. 'Tis not a sin to wield power mighty, Provided one cares of responsibility. Feel not sorry, but rather endeavour To help others and be better."
And so Anduin heals the party, just as Harvey and Butter walk across the pit like it was solid ground. “Hello again!” Harvey cheerfully says to the party.
Comments
Vaga dodges two of the the needles without difficulty. However, Guston and Anduin are not as fortunate, as a needle strikes each of them. Guston gets hit in the shoulder and falls onto his back. Anduin gets hit in the stomach, but the needle bounces off of his Stoneskin.
Across from them, on the other side of the pit, a huge, grinning beast with the body of lion, head of a man, and tail of a scorpion stands and gives them a nod. “Well now, it appears out time to strike has come, Julius,” it says.
Another such beast walks forward from the opposite direction, dispelling its invisibility. “Quite right, Alexander,” it says with a smile, and it lunges towards Vaga.
And one of its claws hits him, causing him to stumble back.
[Spoiler]http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/manticore.htm
[/spoiler]
*Anduin casts: fireball across the pit towards the Manticore.*
Alexander snarls as he ducks under the fireball. It explodes, causing the tunnel behind him to collapse. The earth around the party trembles from the force of the explosion.
She hears her legs snap as she lands feet-first onto the floor. She crumples, unable to move.
And she falls unconscious.
And then he notices the Gauntlets of Ogre Power on Fiora's hands. Without hesitation, he takes them off her hands and wears them himself. With newfound Herculean strength surging through his lax muscles, he lifts Fiora and her equipment, holds them with a firm grip, and makes way towards the top of the pit.
When they'll be near the top, Ignatius will cast invisibility on both himself and Fiora, since he knows there are Manticores about.
Being the only one untouched after the first strike, though suffering from a claw attach, Vaga realizes he have to muster his strength and his training and stand his ground until the group can fight back as a team. He tries to stun the nearest manticore, Alexander, who attacked Vaga just now with a stunning fist attack. Since Julius is on the other side of the pit, Vaga ignores him for now. The gnome can shoot magic at him but I cannot do anything until he crosses the pit, he thinks to himself.
Soon! You will feel my thunder!
As for now...
*Anduin casts:Lightening bolt at Julius the man-eating manticore.*
Julius jumps back to avoid Vaga’s first attack, but Vaga presses forward with a second attack and punches him in the nose. The beast snarls and retaliates with its claws and teeth.
His first claw takes across Vaga’s chest, leaving a long, jagged scar, but Vaga ducks under the second claw. As he ducks, however, Julius opens his massive jaws and lunges forward, taking a bite out of Vaga’s shoulder.
Alexander, who now sees Anduin as the biggest threat, flicks his tail and sends six more sharpened needles at the gnome.
Four needles hit, but bounce off of his Stoneskin yet again. However, parts of the stone covering Anduin’s body are beginning to chip away.
As stated before, I have no experience with IWD2. How many stunning fists (ki based I guess) does a level 3 monk have per day? Do I get a second attempt? If I can't stun this manticore, I'm a dead dwarf, heh..
Luckily for Vaga, his pain threshold is ridiculously high which let's him continue on even though his body is breaking down. The slash to his chest tears through muscle, but the pain only makes him more focused. Vaga knows he's no threat vs this mighty beast, but it's his purpose to stand his ground and die for the mission. So he does just that.
Vaga launches another flurry of blows (the first attack is a stunning fist again, if I still have unspent Ki)
After that, if he is able, he casts cure light wounds on Vaga.
Julius: Reflex save: 4+2=6
Anduin casts Lightning Bolt, and a bolt of lightning arcs forth from his fingertips... straight into the unsuspecting Vaga’s back as he stands fighting the manticore. Vaga falls unconscious instantly, and Julius catches the bolt in the face as well. He growls as as his face is badly burned. However, he smiles when he sees Vaga crumple to the ground. “Dear me,” he says. “You must not have liked that one very much.”
Alexander roars suddenly, as a thick, stone wall rises up around him, trapping him and keeping him pinned in place.
Ignatius unleashes a furious onslaught of his Psychic blades on Alexander, at first slashing on his eyes (trying to scoop them out), then slicing his tail, and then moving on to the other vital organs of the trapped Manticore.
He clamps down on the tail and pulls it down.
Emeril takes the cue and...
slices the tail to shreds. Alexander screams out and falls limp, as he bleeds out from the wound.
And one of his claws swats Guston, and his teeth bite into the poor cleric, and he throws him to the wall. Guston slumps over, unconscious. Before Julius can do anything else, however, Harvey casts another spell.
And he screams as a column of fire strikes him. He then slumps forward, dead.
*Anduin runs over to Vaga and casts heal.*
My spells... I learnt long ago that for every destructive spell cast the more harm you can do to yourself and your friends. Forgive me.
*Anduin hugs Vaga.*
"Little gnome, good gnome, your attention I beckon,
For another here fallen has need of your skill,
The noble paladin lies injured, I reckon,
And 'twill be good if her suffering you can heal."
"Oh, and the priest too seems to have your need,
And in healing him you'll be doing a good deed."
I still learn them, study them, memorise them... Destructive spells. I am a fool. Such spells can only cause harm...
*Anduin looks close to weeping as he goes to Fiora and Guston casting heal.*
Your alive! Your alive!
"Magic can heal as well as harm,
Just as fires both burn and warm.
'Tis not a sin to wield power mighty,
Provided one cares of responsibility.
Feel not sorry, but rather endeavour
To help others and be better."