Prelude - The Pit: Ashes and Cinder

The Age of Magic is ended, Bhall, the Goddess of Fire, has succumbed to the whispers of Agares and fallen into Hell. Her worshipers and creations driven mad, and fire, which has been a powerful ally to man, has turned against him. Each good god was charged with the opposition of an evil god. Bhall was responsible for balancing Mulcarn, the God of Winter. Finding himself unopposed Mulcarn has broken The Compact and moved into Creation.

Creation was on the verge of another open war between the gods, that which they had outlawed with The Compact. To keep that from happening a deal was struck and the gods agreed that one god would enter Creation to challenge Mulcarn. That was Sucellus, the God of Nature. The two gods battled across the face of Creation, entire civilizations still recovering from the Burning Skies that marked the fall of Bhall were destroyed by their power. In the end Sucellus was killed and Mulcarn remained.

The Eternal Winter has begun...
Run by the Arch-Mage Vardaen
MadVlat
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Re: Prelude - The Pit: Ashes and Cinder

Post by MadVlat » Tue Jan 12, 2010 5:16 am

The beast barely has time to recover from its vicious attack on Vren, when once again the paladin moves forward. Even as Ellsbeth's feet cover the short distance her morningstar reaches its apex and drops violently downward. "Go Vren, protect the children", the young woman's battle cry...
Putting some smack into smack down. 5' step south west and clobber the critter with holy wrath (AKA Smiting)...

paradoxa
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Re: Prelude - The Pit: Ashes and Cinder

Post by paradoxa » Tue Jan 12, 2010 1:28 pm

Hopes it's okay if I post, just want to keep this going
The distraction worked great, but now Vren is facing the Hound. Not something she is really keen on.
As the other woman just directly attacks the beast, instead of dodging and circling it, she grimaces. Ellsbeth's tactics are much more straightforward than hers and they are not attuned to fighting together. Damn it, for a moment she wishes that Nessa was fighting with her, as the two of them make a good team... but, on the other hand, it's probably better the way it is. This hound is out of her league, it would be dangerous to underestimate him. And he has already shown some cunning...
But why not use that against him? If the beast is not totally dumb, then perhaps it can be fooled. Vren lowers her sword and backs away from the Hound. She is trying her best to look scared and terror-stricken, hoping that this will make him focus his attention on Ellsbeth again. But instead of running, she sidesteps, jumps forward and stabs out again...
Free action: 5ft-step SW
Move action: Improved Feint
Standard action: Attack. Use Combat Expertise (-1 attack, +1 AC)

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Re: Prelude - The Pit: Ashes and Cinder

Post by Vardaen » Tue Jan 12, 2010 7:51 pm

Round 2 Initiative: Vren 20.5, Hound 14.5, Ellsbeth 14.4, Kids 2.0
Ellsbeth barely has time to recover from the attack against Vren when she moves forward following the Pit Hound. She lifts her morning start high into the air and gives a battlecry. Her weapon takes on a shimmering white glow and as Ellsbeth brings the weapon down she smites the hound squarely in the hauches crippling the beast and breaking its hip. The white light from the mace washes over the Pit Hound making it yelp like a lost puppy in terrible pain. The same white glow covers Ellsbeth protecting her against retribution from the hound.
Ellsbeth: 5ft, Smite Evil, Attack Hound: 17 (+CHA 3) = Hit for 8 + [Target is Outsider with Evil Subtype!!! +2 dmg/Paladin Level] = 10 dmg!

Smite evil is cool in PF
Ellsbeth: Smith Evil vs Hound [+CHA(3) Deflection Bonus to AC]
The kids remain huddled back at the stone, Gunner's head is peaking out as he tries to watch what is going on but Nessa pulls him back down into hiding.
Round 3 Initiative: Vren 20.5, Hound 14.5, Ellsbeth 14.4, Kids 2.0

Buffs
Ellsbeth: Smith Evil vs Hound [+CHA(3) Deflection Bonus to AC]
Vren doesn't back down from the fight, even with Ellsbeth telling her to move. Vren slides forward even as the hound is clobbered by Ellsbeth. The hound is smart, and perhaps too smart for its own good. Vren starts to look like she's terror-striken, which isn't hard for her to pull off right now. The hound turns its head away from Vren to look at Ellsbeth as it falls for the bluff. Then Vren strikes.

Her shortsword punches a hole into the exposed neck of the Pit Hound and slices all the way up to the hilt! The hound let's out a gurggled growl that dies on its lips just as it dies on the blade. The large dog rolls to the side and yanks Vren's blade out of her hand as it topples to the ground dead. Blood pours into the rocky ground, and like some metal tomb stone Vren's blade stands upright out of the corpse!
Vren 5ft, Imp Feint [Bluff (vs Nonhuman -4): 15 vs 14: Success!!], Combat Expertise (1): 16 (Enemy Denied Dex) Hit for 7 + Sneak Attack 2 = 9 Dmg, DEAD!
Grunner shouts, "She killed it!" All the kids jump up shouting and cheering.

"Wooohooo!"

"Go Vren!"

"Our hero!"

"Weee!"
Awesome fight. Combat over! Nicely done all.
"He that breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom." - Gandalf
J.R.R. Tolkien, Council of Elrond, The Fellowship of the Ring

paradoxa
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Re: Prelude - The Pit: Ashes and Cinder

Post by paradoxa » Tue Jan 12, 2010 9:08 pm

Vren stares at the fallen beast and can hardly believe her own eyes. It's over. They really did it. They won.
The Hell Hound is dead, and she doesn't even have as much as a scratch.

A wave of relief and elation washes over her, forming a smile on her face.
She runs over to the other kids, to cheer as well, laughing and hugging them. For a short time, the girl seems to forget her usual distrust and alertness, brimming over with joy like any teenager might.

The sword, still sticking out of the corpse, however, serves as a grim reminder that those moments indeed are a rare and precious thing for one growing up in the Fringes of the Pit.
Epic!

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Re: Prelude - The Pit: Ashes and Cinder

Post by MadVlat » Tue Jan 12, 2010 9:36 pm

Ellsbeth cast the slightest of smiles also. She finds no joy in killing, but the morale of the children is important and she puts on the show. She reaches over and tears the short blade from the creatures throat. Walking over to the group of youngsters she raises the blade, presenting it to Vren. "You fought well, but this one was not alone. Though Junil accompanies us on this journey, I would suggest we move now and find a place to rest for the night". The paladin looking down at her charred bits as she speaks...

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Re: Prelude - The Pit: Ashes and Cinder

Post by Vardaen » Tue Jan 12, 2010 10:45 pm

Even as Ellsbeth hands the sword over the baying o more hounds can be heard. By the sounds of them they have cut off all hopes of travel south or west. To stay ahead of them you'll have to keep moving northeast, away from Ellsbeth goal, but perhaps not away from safety. Nessa gives Vren a huge hug, "You've saved us all Vren. You are a true hero. Some day I'll be as skilled as you." She makes a stabbing motion with her dagger but then freezes as the howl of another hound is heard, this time VERY close.

Grunner races over and scoops up Vren's bow that she dropped and quickly hands it back to Vren. "Best be on 'tha run again."
Both weapons recovered.
"He that breaks a thing to find out what it is has left the path of wisdom." - Gandalf
J.R.R. Tolkien, Council of Elrond, The Fellowship of the Ring

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Re: Prelude - The Pit: Ashes and Cinder

Post by paradoxa » Tue Jan 12, 2010 11:15 pm

It's not the killing that overjoys Vren, it's more the surviving.
There is an awkward moment after she takes back her sword from Ellsbeth. She wants to thank the woman for her help, but doesn't really now how to make a start. Nessa's admiration is a welcome distraction, then.

But then the hounds are heard again, and everything is back to usual. Running away.

Vren helps Griet to stand up, and continues to support her. Hopefully her ankle isn't hurt too badly, so they can still get away from here...

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Re: Prelude - The Pit: Ashes and Cinder

Post by MadVlat » Thu Jan 14, 2010 4:13 am

Ellsbeth looks at the children's faces as she recovers her unlit torch from the ground at her feet. "Well done Vren, it is no wonder why these children have lasted so long here. Let us move quickly, the other hounds will seek their friend out soon I'm afraid". The paladin removes her guantlet and releases the mace into her belt. "I saw a place two days back. I think we may be able to get some rest there". Ellsbeth looks at the little ones ankle, "Let me see what we can do for that ankle"...

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Re: Prelude - The Pit: Ashes and Cinder

Post by paradoxa » Thu Jan 14, 2010 7:06 pm

Vren nods, wondering for a moment why Ellsbeth came from the Northeast, if Peptine is more to the South. But there's no time for talk. She helps Griet to sit down on the fallen pillar, so Ellsbeth can have a better look at the twisted ankle.
Already, the delay is making her nervous, her alertness and tension rising. But something has to be done about the injury, or they will be too slow to escape.
"Be quick... ", she says to Ellsbeth.
Then Vren turns away, to keep out a watchful eye to the southwest, where the hounds' baying and howling can be heard.
If we're moving again, look out for any opportunity to get the Hound off our scent. Running water would be the classic, but that's probably rare around here. Using the ruins, climbing over walls or crawling through small openings, where the dogs can't follow would also be an option.

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Re: Prelude - The Pit: Ashes and Cinder

Post by MadVlat » Thu Jan 14, 2010 9:35 pm

Ellsbeth looks at the childs swollen limb and quickly plies her trade. She takes one of her arrows and snaps it in half, then breaks off the tip. She slaps them to the sides of the shoe of the boy and begins tying them firmly to the youths foot. The whole time she hums a soothing tune...

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