Geral grimaces at the cliffside before him, quickly grabbing hold of the rocks and pulling himself up, slowly and surely making his way up to the top. When he reaches the top, he turns and sees one of the archers there before him, giving a small smile from beneath his hood as he draws his blade. "Well. Hello there. Not your day."
Geral's blade starts to flash with fire as he swings it, a wave of pure heat and flame flying out from the tip, catching the one next to him in it's heat while the other manages to slip away.
Genasi Firesoul: +1 Reflexes, Resist 5 Fire, and Firepulse.
Swordbond: By spending 1 hour with any light or heavy blade, the blade becomes swordbonded. As a standard action, the blade can be called from 10 squares away. If the bonded weapon is broken, the blade can be reforged with an hour of meditation.
Swordmage Warding: +1 AC or +3 AC when wielding a blade one handed and the other hand is free.
Heavy Blade Expertise: +1 to attack rolls with Heavy Blade. +2 to defenses against OAs.
Rose King's Shield: +2 to Endurance. While using a longsword, once per turn melee attacks grant +5 temporary HP. This is improved to +10 if more than 2 squares are moved before the end of your turn.
Aegis of Assault: Target is marked. It suffers a -2 to all attack rolls that do not include Geral. If a target is hit without Geral being included, Geral teleports up to 10 squares to a spot next to the target and makes a basic melee attack.
White Lotus Riposte: Until the SoNT, a target hit with an at-will takes that abilities modifier damage when attacking Geral.
Geral manages to hit both the archers with his attack, while the fight rages on down below. Shira'stasa narrowly avoids one of the bandit's attacks, whilst the other bandit deals a blow to the mounted Malachite Blade. Khaled swings at one of the men, striking him in the side, as he pulls his sword away, the bandit falls to the floor, his blood painting the sand red.
The Archers continue their assault, although now they are forced to focus their fire on more immediate threats. An arrow whizzes past Geral's head while three others find their mark in the Blades on the cliffs.
Her plan succeeds as she manages to avoid all arrows coming her way. Feeling once more invigorated, Cleo jumps to her feet and rushes up the cliff face, eager to get to the cowards firing at them from above.
MBA: +11 vs AC, 1d8+6 damage. (+1 damage to bloodied targets) RBA: +11 vs AC, 1d4+6 damage. (+1 damage to bloodied targets)
Resistances:
5 Fire
Vulnerabilities: None
Saves:
+2 vs immobilize, restrain, or slow
Active Effects:
+2 to checks to escape grab
+5 to bluff vs insight to discover I am not human
+2 to defenses until SONT from Second Wind
granting CA until SONT from running (cancels defense boost, basically)
Powers:
Nature's Mask Desert Wind Flurry of Blows Blistering Flourish Five Storms Agile Recovery
__________________________________
Second Wind [X] Sarifal's Blessing [_] Light the Fire [_]
__________________________________
Mental Crucible: I gain resist 5 fire (or +2 if I already have resist fire of 5+)
Unarmed Combatant: unarmed attack has +3 proficiency, 1d8 damage, unarmed group, can be affected by ki foci. Must have a free hand to use it.
Unarmored Defense: +2 to AC when in cloth armor or no armor and not using a shield.
Full Discipline: Can only use one full discipline power per round, but can use it as many times as the power would allow (at-will's any number of times in a round, encounters once per round, etc.) Can use full discipline techniques in whatever order I like, and if I spend an action point I can choose a different full discipline power.
Beast Nature: I am considered both a magical beast and a humanoid.
Elusive: +2 racial bonus to checks made to escape grabs and to saving throws against effects that immobilize, restrain, or slow me.
Fey Origin: I am considered Fey.
Language of Beasts: I can speak to and understand natural and fey felines in my hybrid or animal form, and understand but not speak to them in human form.
Shapechanger: I am considered a shapechanger.
Ki Focus Expertise: +1 to damage with ki focus vs bloodied targets.
Unarmored Agility: +2 to AC when in cloth armor or no armor.
Internalize the Basic Kata: I use Dexterity instead of Strength for my MBA rolls when using my Monk Unarmed Strike. My Flurry of Blows can trigger on an OA made with my Monk Unarmed Strike.
With unfamiliar eyes, Shira'stasa guides her horse back from the gray on the ground to deal with some of the enemies afoot on the reaches. A silent command of her own and the rotting image of the zombified hand disappears, resurfacing from the ground in front of some of the fighting men. With it comes a torrent of screaming, ethereal figures, their bodies disfigured and melting. The nonsolid forms grope and rake at the men's legs and feet, inciting a very real pain.
Minor:Mage Hand in U25, forcing Archer 1, and Archer 2 to grant CA to all.
Standard:Grasping Shadows, a 3x3 centered on U25. Hits all 3 of them, dealing 6 psychic damage and slowing them til the end of my next turn. Creates a slowing area TENT that damages creates 5 psychic and slows them when enetered.
Attacks: 19(1d20) +9 = 28; 19(1d20) +9 = 28; 18(1d20) +7 = 25; 1(1d8) +5 = 6
Free: Ready Shield to give me 4 AC and Reflex should it be enough to block an attack.[/color]
Tome Expertise: You gain a +1 feat bonus to implement attack rolls with a tome. Enemies adjacent to your conjurations/summoned creatures grant CA. Enemies immune to fear are immune to this effect.
Astral Majesty: You have a +1 bonus to all defenses against attacks made by bloodied creatures.
Immortal Origin: Your spirit is native to the Astral Sea, so you are considered an immortal creature for the purpose of effects that relate to creature origin.
Juliette smiles devilishly as Khaled puts down the bandit closest to her. Her blood full of fury, she steps over to the other man and strikes at him as well.
Flail Expertise: You gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls that you make with a flail. This bonus increases to +2 at 11th level and +3 at 21st level. In addition, when you hit with a melee weapon attack using a flail and the attack lets you slide the target, you can knock the target prone instead of sliding it.
World Serpent's Grasp: Whenever you hit a slowed or immobilized target with an attack, you can knock it prone.
Unarmored Agility: You gain a +2 feat bonus to AC while wearing either cloth armor or no armor.
Weapon Proficiency (Kusari-gama): You gain proficiency with the Kusari-gama.
Poised Defender: While your defender aura is active and you're not wearing heavy armor, you gain a + 2 bonus to AC.
Arid Desert Heartland: While you are wearing cloth armor or no armor and not using a shield, you gain a +3 bonus to AC and a +2 bonus to Reflex. At 4th level, you gain resist 5 fire. The resistance increases to 10 at 14th level and 15 at 24th level.
Berserker Fury: When you use a barbarian primal attack power, you enter your Berserker Fury until the end of the encounter. Alternatively, you can use a minor action while you are bloodied to enter the fury. The fury has the following effects.
+ Your defender aura ends, if it was active, and you cannot use defender aura or vengeful guardian until the fury ends.
+ Some of your powers, such as your barbarian martial at-will attack powers, gain additional benefits, as noted in those powers.
+ Your melee basic attacks deal 1d8 extra damage. This extra damage increases to 2d8 at 11th level and 3d8 at 21st level.
Human Defense Bonuses: You gain a +1 racial bonus to Fortitude, Reflex, and Will.
Juliette slays the remaining bandit on the road while the Blades attempt to engage the archers. Two of the archers on the Eastern cliff turn their attention to Cleo, both of them finding their mark. The other two fire at Shira'stasa, an arrow hitting the Tenant.
Shift to R33 Booming Blade on Archer 3 against AC: 8(1d20) +10 = 18
Maybe?
Damage: 8(1d8) +5 = 13
OUCH. Please hit. If it is a hit, if Archer 3 moves away from Geral after the start of his turn, Archer 3 takes 1d6+3 damage.
If Archer 3 is alive, apply Aegis of Assault. If dead, ignore shift above, and move to Q33. Then apply Aegis of Assault to Archer 4.
Genasi Firesoul: +1 Reflexes, Resist 5 Fire, and Firepulse.
Swordbond: By spending 1 hour with any light or heavy blade, the blade becomes swordbonded. As a standard action, the blade can be called from 10 squares away. If the bonded weapon is broken, the blade can be reforged with an hour of meditation.
Swordmage Warding: +1 AC or +3 AC when wielding a blade one handed and the other hand is free.
Heavy Blade Expertise: +1 to attack rolls with Heavy Blade. +2 to defenses against OAs.
Rose King's Shield: +2 to Endurance. While using a longsword, once per turn melee attacks grant +5 temporary HP. This is improved to +10 if more than 2 squares are moved before the end of your turn.
Aegis of Assault: Target is marked. It suffers a -2 to all attack rolls that do not include Geral. If a target is hit without Geral being included, Geral teleports up to 10 squares to a spot next to the target and makes a basic melee attack.
White Lotus Riposte: Until the SoNT, a target hit with an at-will takes that abilities modifier damage when attacking Geral.
Geral fells one of the archers while Khaled climbs the cliff to join Cleo. Meanwhile two of the archers continue to attack one of the Blades, one narrowly missing and the other burying an arrow in the mercenary's thigh.
Geral is also struck by an arrow, but he makes use of the archer's pause in drawing another and charges forward, striking out at the bandit.
Annoyed at the continued onslaught of arrows, Cleo rushes between the two nearest archers to her and unleashes on them a quick series of blows, hoping to knock them out as quickly as possible so she can move on to the next bunch.
Move Action: Five Storms Movement Technique
Effect: shift to (O, 52).
Standard Action: Masterful Spiral
Attack vs Archer Cunt 5: 11 vs Reflex = ??
Attack vs Archer Cunt 6: 22 vs Reflex = Hit
Hit: 21 force damage (10 on a miss, if cunt 5 dodged).
Effect: I enter the spiral stance, gaining +1 reach with melee touch attacks until it ends
No Action: Desert Wind Flurry of Blows
Effect: 5 fire damage on cunt 6 if still alive, otherwise on cunt 5. I shift to (P, 52).
Mental Crucible: I gain resist 5 fire (or +2 if I already have resist fire of 5+)
Unarmed Combatant: unarmed attack has +3 proficiency, 1d8 damage, unarmed group, can be affected by ki foci. Must have a free hand to use it.
Unarmored Defense: +2 to AC when in cloth armor or no armor and not using a shield.
Full Discipline: Can only use one full discipline power per round, but can use it as many times as the power would allow (at-will's any number of times in a round, encounters once per round, etc.) Can use full discipline techniques in whatever order I like, and if I spend an action point I can choose a different full discipline power.
Beast Nature: I am considered both a magical beast and a humanoid.
Elusive: +2 racial bonus to checks made to escape grabs and to saving throws against effects that immobilize, restrain, or slow me.
Fey Origin: I am considered Fey.
Language of Beasts: I can speak to and understand natural and fey felines in my hybrid or animal form, and understand but not speak to them in human form.
Shapechanger: I am considered a shapechanger.
Ki Focus Expertise: +1 to damage with ki focus vs bloodied targets.
Unarmored Agility: +2 to AC when in cloth armor or no armor.
Internalize the Basic Kata: I use Dexterity instead of Strength for my MBA rolls when using my Monk Unarmed Strike. My Flurry of Blows can trigger on an OA made with my Monk Unarmed Strike.
With the foes on the ground dead in the sand, Juliette rushes over to the cliffside to attempt to combat the bow-wielding men. Try as she might, she is unable to get a solid grip on the rocks.
Flail Expertise: You gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls that you make with a flail. This bonus increases to +2 at 11th level and +3 at 21st level. In addition, when you hit with a melee weapon attack using a flail and the attack lets you slide the target, you can knock the target prone instead of sliding it.
World Serpent's Grasp: Whenever you hit a slowed or immobilized target with an attack, you can knock it prone.
Unarmored Agility: You gain a +2 feat bonus to AC while wearing either cloth armor or no armor.
Weapon Proficiency (Kusari-gama): You gain proficiency with the Kusari-gama.
Poised Defender: While your defender aura is active and you're not wearing heavy armor, you gain a + 2 bonus to AC.
Arid Desert Heartland: While you are wearing cloth armor or no armor and not using a shield, you gain a +3 bonus to AC and a +2 bonus to Reflex. At 4th level, you gain resist 5 fire. The resistance increases to 10 at 14th level and 15 at 24th level.
Berserker Fury: When you use a barbarian primal attack power, you enter your Berserker Fury until the end of the encounter. Alternatively, you can use a minor action while you are bloodied to enter the fury. The fury has the following effects.
+ Your defender aura ends, if it was active, and you cannot use defender aura or vengeful guardian until the fury ends.
+ Some of your powers, such as your barbarian martial at-will attack powers, gain additional benefits, as noted in those powers.
+ Your melee basic attacks deal 1d8 extra damage. This extra damage increases to 2d8 at 11th level and 3d8 at 21st level.
Human Defense Bonuses: You gain a +1 racial bonus to Fortitude, Reflex, and Will.
Repositioning both herself and her zombified hand, Shira'stasa stares up at the fighting men with glossy eyes. At her graceful command, the strange, screaming figures drag an archer back into the fray. Their melting and ethereal hands grip his thighs, causing him to stumble.
Minor:Mage Hand in V25, forcing Archer 1 to grant CA to all.
Standard:Beguiling Strands, a 5x5 square with right lower corner at Z27, targeting AA1. Does 5 psychic damage, pushing him into U26. Pushing him into the zone slows him TENT and does an additional 5 psychic damage for 10 total.
Attack: 20(1d20) +9 = 29
Free: Ready Shield to give me 4 AC and Reflex should it be enough to block an attack.
Tome Expertise: You gain a +1 feat bonus to implement attack rolls with a tome. Enemies adjacent to your conjurations/summoned creatures grant CA. Enemies immune to fear are immune to this effect.
Astral Majesty: You have a +1 bonus to all defenses against attacks made by bloodied creatures.
Immortal Origin: Your spirit is native to the Astral Sea, so you are considered an immortal creature for the purpose of effects that relate to creature origin.
Cleo manages to bring down one of the archers whilst one of the blades does the same on the other side of the road. The archers return fire, narrowly missing Cleo but two finding their mark on Khaled.
Geral motions for the blade before him to get down. "Don't waste your life here. We'll need you when we go up against the main threat, just lay low and take a moment, you've done well today. And consider that an order! The real fight hasn't started yet."
He walks past the blade to the wall, grasping at it as he attempts to climb upwards.
Khaled surges forward striking another one of the archers. While on the other side of the cliffs the two archers struggle to hit one of the blades at such close quarters.
Silently grumbling to herself, Juliette tries once more to scale the cliffside. Just as she thinks she's got the hang out it, she loses her grip and skids down the few inches she had climbed. Not one to give up easily, she gives it another go, only to fail once more. Damned cliff...
Flail Expertise: You gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls that you make with a flail. This bonus increases to +2 at 11th level and +3 at 21st level. In addition, when you hit with a melee weapon attack using a flail and the attack lets you slide the target, you can knock the target prone instead of sliding it.
World Serpent's Grasp: Whenever you hit a slowed or immobilized target with an attack, you can knock it prone.
Unarmored Agility: You gain a +2 feat bonus to AC while wearing either cloth armor or no armor.
Weapon Proficiency (Kusari-gama): You gain proficiency with the Kusari-gama.
Poised Defender: While your defender aura is active and you're not wearing heavy armor, you gain a + 2 bonus to AC.
Arid Desert Heartland: While you are wearing cloth armor or no armor and not using a shield, you gain a +3 bonus to AC and a +2 bonus to Reflex. At 4th level, you gain resist 5 fire. The resistance increases to 10 at 14th level and 15 at 24th level.
Berserker Fury: When you use a barbarian primal attack power, you enter your Berserker Fury until the end of the encounter. Alternatively, you can use a minor action while you are bloodied to enter the fury. The fury has the following effects.
Your defender aura ends, if it was active, and you cannot use defender aura or vengeful guardian until the fury ends.
Some of your powers, such as your barbarian martial at-will attack powers, gain additional benefits, as noted in those powers.
Your melee basic attacks deal 1d8 extra damage. This extra damage increases to 2d8 at 11th level and 3d8 at 21st level.
Human Defense Bonuses: You gain a +1 racial bonus to Fortitude, Reflex, and Will.
Stop shooting me! Cleo screams in her head as the archer she hadn't finished off retaliates. Not wanting to deal with anymore arrows from behind, she flips around and lands a solid, searing blow to the man's gut, sending him instantly to the ground. A wave of intense heat surrounds the young tenant as she turns back towards the men facing off against Khaled. They're next...
Minor Action: Sarifal's Blessing
Effect: Aura 2, until the end of my next turn allies in aura have resist 5 fire, enemies in aura have vulnerable 5 fire to my fire attacks.
Move Action: Light the Fire Movement Technique
Effect: shift to (N, 52)
Standard Action: Light the Fire Attack Technique on cuntarcher 5
Attack: 28 vs Reflex = crit!
Hit: 22 fire damage, plus 5 from vulnerability, for a total of 27 damage. He ded.
Effect: I activate an aura 1 that lasts until the start of my next. Enemies that start their turn in the aura take 5 fire damage (10 with my other aura)
MBA: +11 vs AC, 1d8+6 damage. (+1 damage to bloodied targets) RBA: +11 vs AC, 1d4+6 damage. (+1 damage to bloodied targets)
Resistances:
5 Fire
Vulnerabilities: None
Saves:
+2 vs immobilize, restrain, or slow
Active Effects:
+2 to checks to escape grab
+5 to bluff vs insight to discover I am not human Spiral Stance, +1 melee touch attack reach Sarifal's Blessing, aura 2, 5 fire resist/vulnerability depending on friend or foe, ends EONT Light the Fire, aura 1, enemies who start their turn there take 5 fire damage, ends SONT
Powers:
Nature's Mask Desert Wind Flurry of Blows Blistering Flourish Five Storms Agile Recovery
Second Wind [X] Sarifal's Blessing [X] Light the Fire [X]
Mental Crucible: I gain resist 5 fire (or +2 if I already have resist fire of 5+)
Unarmed Combatant: unarmed attack has +3 proficiency, 1d8 damage, unarmed group, can be affected by ki foci. Must have a free hand to use it.
Unarmored Defense: +2 to AC when in cloth armor or no armor and not using a shield.
Full Discipline: Can only use one full discipline power per round, but can use it as many times as the power would allow (at-will's any number of times in a round, encounters once per round, etc.) Can use full discipline techniques in whatever order I like, and if I spend an action point I can choose a different full discipline power.
Beast Nature: I am considered both a magical beast and a humanoid.
Elusive: +2 racial bonus to checks made to escape grabs and to saving throws against effects that immobilize, restrain, or slow me.
Fey Origin: I am considered Fey.
Language of Beasts: I can speak to and understand natural and fey felines in my hybrid or animal form, and understand but not speak to them in human form.
Shapechanger: I am considered a shapechanger.
Ki Focus Expertise: +1 to damage with ki focus vs bloodied targets.
Unarmored Agility: +2 to AC when in cloth armor or no armor.
Internalize the Basic Kata: I use Dexterity instead of Strength for my MBA rolls when using my Monk Unarmed Strike. My Flurry of Blows can trigger on an OA made with my Monk Unarmed Strike.
Shira'stasa commands her apparition to flank the two archers atop the ridge. It flails at them in frightening and erratic movements, diverting their attention from the weakened Blade behind them.
Move:Mage Hand moves to S25, forcing AA1 and AA2 to grant CA to all.
Standard:Winged Horde on T25, targeting AA1 and AA2. Hits both for 4 psychic damage, and they cannot take OAs til End my of Next Turn.
Attacks: 19(1d20) +7 = 26; 14(1d20) +7 = 21; 4(1d6) = 4
Minor: Sustain Mage Hand.
Free: Ready Shield to give me 4 AC and Reflex should it be enough to block an attack.
Tome Expertise: You gain a +1 feat bonus to implement attack rolls with a tome. Enemies adjacent to your conjurations/summoned creatures grant CA. Enemies immune to fear are immune to this effect.
Astral Majesty: You have a +1 bonus to all defenses against attacks made by bloodied creatures.
Immortal Origin: Your spirit is native to the Astral Sea, so you are considered an immortal creature for the purpose of effects that relate to creature origin.
As Cleo fells one of the bandits, the combined efforts of Shira'stasa and one of the Malachite Blades brings down another on the other side of the cliffs. The wounded Blade near Geral follows his orders and stays put, letting everyone else deal with the remaining bandits.
Geral manages to scale the cliff however he misses the Archer who drops his bow and draws a dagger before retaliating. On the other side of the cliffs, Khaled fells another of the archers before making his way towards the last.
Cleo grins as the archer before her falls, and is happier still to see one of the others in the distance follow. She rushes across the cliff to the last remaining one and, in a quick jab, sends her searing fist into the man's face, causing him to reel in pain. "You should pick your targets more carefully next time," she says, confident that their victory is imminent.
Standard Action: Charge on AA8
Effect: move to (X, 51)
Attack: 18 vs AC = hit
Hit: 9 damage
No Action: Desert Wind Flurry of Blows on AA8
Effect: 5 fire damage, plus 5 more from vulnerability (from aura) for a total of 10 damage. I shift to (Y, 51). AA8 is bloodied.
Mental Crucible: I gain resist 5 fire (or +2 if I already have resist fire of 5+)
Unarmed Combatant: unarmed attack has +3 proficiency, 1d8 damage, unarmed group, can be affected by ki foci. Must have a free hand to use it.
Unarmored Defense: +2 to AC when in cloth armor or no armor and not using a shield.
Full Discipline: Can only use one full discipline power per round, but can use it as many times as the power would allow (at-will's any number of times in a round, encounters once per round, etc.) Can use full discipline techniques in whatever order I like, and if I spend an action point I can choose a different full discipline power.
Beast Nature: I am considered both a magical beast and a humanoid.
Elusive: +2 racial bonus to checks made to escape grabs and to saving throws against effects that immobilize, restrain, or slow me.
Fey Origin: I am considered Fey.
Language of Beasts: I can speak to and understand natural and fey felines in my hybrid or animal form, and understand but not speak to them in human form.
Shapechanger: I am considered a shapechanger.
Ki Focus Expertise: +1 to damage with ki focus vs bloodied targets.
Unarmored Agility: +2 to AC when in cloth armor or no armor.
Internalize the Basic Kata: I use Dexterity instead of Strength for my MBA rolls when using my Monk Unarmed Strike. My Flurry of Blows can trigger on an OA made with my Monk Unarmed Strike.
Flail Expertise: You gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls that you make with a flail. This bonus increases to +2 at 11th level and +3 at 21st level. In addition, when you hit with a melee weapon attack using a flail and the attack lets you slide the target, you can knock the target prone instead of sliding it.
World Serpent's Grasp: Whenever you hit a slowed or immobilized target with an attack, you can knock it prone.
Unarmored Agility: You gain a +2 feat bonus to AC while wearing either cloth armor or no armor.
Weapon Proficiency (Kusari-gama): You gain proficiency with the Kusari-gama.
Poised Defender: While your defender aura is active and you're not wearing heavy armor, you gain a + 2 bonus to AC.
Arid Desert Heartland: While you are wearing cloth armor or no armor and not using a shield, you gain a +3 bonus to AC and a +2 bonus to Reflex. At 4th level, you gain resist 5 fire. The resistance increases to 10 at 14th level and 15 at 24th level.
Berserker Fury: When you use a barbarian primal attack power, you enter your Berserker Fury until the end of the encounter. Alternatively, you can use a minor action while you are bloodied to enter the fury. The fury has the following effects.
Your defender aura ends, if it was active, and you cannot use defender aura or vengeful guardian until the fury ends.
Some of your powers, such as your barbarian martial at-will attack powers, gain additional benefits, as noted in those powers.
Your melee basic attacks deal 1d8 extra damage. This extra damage increases to 2d8 at 11th level and 3d8 at 21st level.
Human Defense Bonuses: You gain a +1 racial bonus to Fortitude, Reflex, and Will.
Shira'stasa's apparition continues to torture the ambusher with its menacing flailing. The hand's presence draws his mind from the true threats flanking him.
Standard:Winged Horde on T26, targeting AA2. Hits Will 27 for 4 damage, and he can't make OAs for a turn.
Attack:18(1d20) +9 = 27
Damage: 4(1d6) = 4 Minor: Sustain Mage Hand.
Free: Ready Shield to give me 4 AC and Reflex should it be enough to block an attack.
Tome Expertise: You gain a +1 feat bonus to implement attack rolls with a tome. Enemies adjacent to your conjurations/summoned creatures grant CA. Enemies immune to fear are immune to this effect.
Astral Majesty: You have a +1 bonus to all defenses against attacks made by bloodied creatures.
Immortal Origin: Your spirit is native to the Astral Sea, so you are considered an immortal creature for the purpose of effects that relate to creature origin.
Cleo's words ring true as the remaining Archers are quickly surrounded. One of the Malachite Blades finishes off one, whilst the other is dispatched by Geral.
With the bandits dead, Khaled climbs back down on to the road and makes his way over to the corpses of the fallen bandits. He pulls up the robe of one of the more heavily armed bandits, revealing a familiar tattoo.
"They're from the group we're hunting. I suppose this at least means they'll be less men at the camp," he says.
Shira'stasa breaks from her trance in a sweat. The tenant sits atop her steed for a few moments, catching her breath and regaining the ability to think clearly. These bandits don't seem to have an end, she thinks to herself. We will find an end.
Tome Expertise: You gain a +1 feat bonus to implement attack rolls with a tome. Enemies adjacent to your conjurations/summoned creatures grant CA. Enemies immune to fear are immune to this effect.
Astral Majesty: You have a +1 bonus to all defenses against attacks made by bloodied creatures.
Immortal Origin: Your spirit is native to the Astral Sea, so you are considered an immortal creature for the purpose of effects that relate to creature origin.
Juliette silently grumbles to herself as the final foe falls before she could get a swing at it. May Elys herself curse this cliff. Still worn out from the climb, and from the energy of the fight itself, the Imardanian sits down to catch her breath.
Flail Expertise: You gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls that you make with a flail. This bonus increases to +2 at 11th level and +3 at 21st level. In addition, when you hit with a melee weapon attack using a flail and the attack lets you slide the target, you can knock the target prone instead of sliding it.
World Serpent's Grasp: Whenever you hit a slowed or immobilized target with an attack, you can knock it prone.
Unarmored Agility: You gain a +2 feat bonus to AC while wearing either cloth armor or no armor.
Weapon Proficiency (Kusari-gama): You gain proficiency with the Kusari-gama.
Poised Defender: While your defender aura is active and you're not wearing heavy armor, you gain a + 2 bonus to AC.
Arid Desert Heartland: While you are wearing cloth armor or no armor and not using a shield, you gain a +3 bonus to AC and a +2 bonus to Reflex. At 4th level, you gain resist 5 fire. The resistance increases to 10 at 14th level and 15 at 24th level.
Berserker Fury: When you use a barbarian primal attack power, you enter your Berserker Fury until the end of the encounter. Alternatively, you can use a minor action while you are bloodied to enter the fury. The fury has the following effects.
Your defender aura ends, if it was active, and you cannot use defender aura or vengeful guardian until the fury ends.
Some of your powers, such as your barbarian martial at-will attack powers, gain additional benefits, as noted in those powers.
Your melee basic attacks deal 1d8 extra damage. This extra damage increases to 2d8 at 11th level and 3d8 at 21st level.
Human Defense Bonuses: You gain a +1 racial bonus to Fortitude, Reflex, and Will.
With the last of the enemies fallen, Cleo sighs and quickly slumps to the ground to rest. "Well that was stupid," she says, looking across the small canyon to the others. "Why can't we ever go anywhere without getting attacked? They never learn..."
She perks up slightly at Khaled's mention of them being members of the group they were after, happy to have rid some of them from the world. May Lis-beht catch and devour their filthy souls. Good riddance."But that must mean they know we're coming, then," she says after a bit more thought on the matter.
Mental Crucible: I gain resist 5 fire (or +2 if I already have resist fire of 5+)
Unarmed Combatant: unarmed attack has +3 proficiency, 1d8 damage, unarmed group, can be affected by ki foci. Must have a free hand to use it.
Unarmored Defense: +2 to AC when in cloth armor or no armor and not using a shield.
Full Discipline: Can only use one full discipline power per round, but can use it as many times as the power would allow (at-will's any number of times in a round, encounters once per round, etc.) Can use full discipline techniques in whatever order I like, and if I spend an action point I can choose a different full discipline power.
Beast Nature: I am considered both a magical beast and a humanoid.
Elusive: +2 racial bonus to checks made to escape grabs and to saving throws against effects that immobilize, restrain, or slow me.
Fey Origin: I am considered Fey.
Language of Beasts: I can speak to and understand natural and fey felines in my hybrid or animal form, and understand but not speak to them in human form.
Shapechanger: I am considered a shapechanger.
Ki Focus Expertise: +1 to damage with ki focus vs bloodied targets.
Unarmored Agility: +2 to AC when in cloth armor or no armor.
Internalize the Basic Kata: I use Dexterity instead of Strength for my MBA rolls when using my Monk Unarmed Strike. My Flurry of Blows can trigger on an OA made with my Monk Unarmed Strike.
"We'll have to prepare for a readied defense, I suppose," Shira'stasa offers, her head still a little fuzzy from the combat adrenaline. "And I expect that the roads will continue like this for now, at least while war is brewing. These aren't safe times, Cleo," she says, her face sad. At least Geral's Blades can pull their weight.
"This war of yours is really doing no one any good." Thinking fondly of her homeland, Juliette says, "The roads are never this dangerous back home."Perhaps Elys is punishing these heathens for for lack of faith. I'm simply a victim trapped in her will.
Geral nods to Shira'stasa, counting the fallen enemies. "If it were one or two, I would say they may simply go unnoticed. The desert sands are unforgiving. But this many, they will certainly know, and will likely have a second patrol at the ready. Blades, gather what you think is necessary from the bodies. Rations, water, and gold they may carry. In the mean time, Khaled, Cleo, I would like both of you to scout along the cliffs here. This may not be the only group we face today, and I would like to be better prepared next time. "
He looks to them both, seeming to be commanding Khaled, but Cleo he seems to be asking, given her status outside of the Blades.
Cleo frowns at Geral's request, not wanting to get up quite yet, but she stands reluctantly. "Ok, fine. But only because I want to punch some more of their faces in, not because you asked." Stepping forward a bit, she gazes off into the distance and searches for any more glimmering metal to suggest more ex-Blades. The blazing sun in her eyes does not make it easy, though.
"This isn't a war of ours," Shira'stasa says, harshly, responding to Juliette. "You must understand that the leaders will always do as they please, even if it means the deaths of thousands of their people. None of us wanted this."
"I don't see anything," the young tenant responds to Geral, climbing down from the cliff once she is content that no others are coming. "Now let's find those horses and get a move on. If more people do come, it would be nice to not be fighting an uphill battle again."
Still mounted, Shira'stasa guides her horse over to the younger Tenant, extending her arm. "C'mon, we'll find it quicker together," she says, offering her a ride. Hopefully they didn't take off into the sands. These creatures frighten easily but can't be that stupid, now can they?
Geral climbs onto his own horse, and rides up alongside Shira'stasa and Cleo, smiling beneath his wrappings. "They likely will have run back to their base! To warn them of our arrival. If we're lucky, they'll be too busy pissing themselves to form a defense."
He nods back to the rest of the blades, as if it were old times to them.
"Let them expect us," Juliette says as she returns to the center of the canyon. "It will make them think to they a chance, which will make their deaths much better," the Imardanian woman says harshly, hoping to bloody her blade with those who had killed her kin with their own blades.
The bolted horses are soon found a little ways back down the road, stood under the shade of a small outcropping. With everyone back on horseback, the party continues onwards. The rest of the afternoon passes uneventfully and the desert begins to cool as the sun sets.
"We should find somewhere with a good vantage point to camp for the the night," Khaled says. "I've no doubt there's eyes watching us from afar. I'm sure no one wants to be butchered in their sleep," he adds.
"I'll take the first shift, once we find a place. I doubt I'll be able to sleep much with the horrors we've encountered lately," Shira'stasa admits. A chilled breeze and the stars above me will grant me a proper time for meditation. She continues onward, looking for the next outcropping, hill, or dune that provides elevation.
"Thanks!" Cleo says, as her friend allows her to ride along on the only remaining horse. The two easily find the others, and she manages to return to her own saddle in short time.
"I will join her, I'm not too tired," Cleo says. And I don't care to talk to the others for hours on end. Geral is annoying, and Juliette is just weird.
Watch shifts? How primitive. But it beats being killed, I suppose."I care little for whatever watch I get. I doubt I'll sleep a wink, with all of today's excitement and with what looms tomorrow," Juliette says as the party winds down for the night. I can't wait to send those scoundrels to their grave.
You continue onward for about half an hour until a suitable camp site is found. A large dune juts upward fromt he surrounding desert. It has a relatively flat summit with a few large wind weathered rocks, signs that it was perhaps a large hill or even a small mountain, back before the sands swept over the region.
You set up camp amongst the rocks, your tents surrounding a campfire. The majority turn in for the night while Cleo and Shira'stasa remain on watch duty.
The two tenants sit by the camp fire and talk for a couple of hours, most of their watch passing without incident. Shira'stasa hears a noise and spots two archers in the distance, only just illuminated by the light of the camp fire. They loose two arrows at the tenants. Shira'stasa, seeing it coming, is able to dodge the projectile, however Cleo is not so lucky.
Elys damn this land, Juliette thinks as she's roused from the excitement. Grabbing her weapon, she prepares to give these new thugs her all, hoping to make up for her hardships in the previous ambush. Damned cowards...
"Ahh," Cleo calls out, unintentionally, as the arrow pierces her flesh. "That hurt!" She quickly jumps to her feet and faces the archers, ready to rush them as soon as the others are roused. I hate these archers!
Only narrowly evading the incoming arrows, Shira'stasa shouts to the others to rouse them. Her tome snaps open in her hand, and a familiar tremble grips her spine as the woman readies herself for another skirmish. These bandits hardly know when to stop.
As the arrows fly into the camp the sleeping members of the party emerge from their tents. The malachite blades quickly light torches, although the camp fire illuminates most of the camp's surroundings. You hear shouts from outside the camp and two large men charge into the camp.
Cleo rushes forward to strike at one of the nearest archers, but he sees her coming and just manages to sidestep the blow. Cleo glares at the man, ready to strike out again as soon as his guard is down.
Move Action: Blistering Flourish Movement Technique
Effect: moves to (A, 14), avoiding OAs. If I do provoke any OAs, enemies whose OAs hit me take 5 fire damage.
Standard Action: Blistering Flourish Attack Technique on Archer 2
Attack: 13 vs Reflex = miss
Mental Crucible: I gain resist 5 fire (or +2 if I already have resist fire of 5+)
Unarmed Combatant: unarmed attack has +3 proficiency, 1d8 damage, unarmed group, can be affected by ki foci. Must have a free hand to use it.
Unarmored Defense: +2 to AC when in cloth armor or no armor and not using a shield.
Full Discipline: Can only use one full discipline power per round, but can use it as many times as the power would allow (at-will's any number of times in a round, encounters once per round, etc.) Can use full discipline techniques in whatever order I like, and if I spend an action point I can choose a different full discipline power.
Beast Nature: I am considered both a magical beast and a humanoid.
Elusive: +2 racial bonus to checks made to escape grabs and to saving throws against effects that immobilize, restrain, or slow me.
Fey Origin: I am considered Fey.
Language of Beasts: I can speak to and understand natural and fey felines in my hybrid or animal form, and understand but not speak to them in human form.
Shapechanger: I am considered a shapechanger.
Ki Focus Expertise: +1 to damage with ki focus vs bloodied targets.
Unarmored Agility: +2 to AC when in cloth armor or no armor.
Internalize the Basic Kata: I use Dexterity instead of Strength for my MBA rolls when using my Monk Unarmed Strike. My Flurry of Blows can trigger on an OA made with my Monk Unarmed Strike.
