Chapter 1: A Peaceable Kingdom

[Jeremy]

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Hmm. Sorry, I got confused about the turn, thought it was our attack again.

Yes, Goran will climb out of the window, he wants to get behind the attacker in the doorway...is that the rogue? His goal is to attack him, push him inside the door, prevent him from getting away, no matter what. If the rogue slips away, Goran may shoot him down in the street....but ask me again before that happens!

Obviously he doesn't want to let the combat get out into the street, however...but I'm guessing the combat in this room is no longer a secret, what with all the yelling and magic and lights...yikes.

[Jeff]

ROUND 2

17 = warforged
16 = Goran
16 = Streko
14 = rogue
14 = Grafth
13 = Pellorien
13 = Kal
10 = Oss
9 = Taymra
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The warforged strides past Pellorien, obviously thinking of her as no threat at all. With the spear-throwing shifter suddenly close at hand, it immediately raises its heavy pick and swings down in another fearsome arc. Grafth, ready to engage the construct already, was ready for it. He easily dodges the heavy blow.

Goran turns to the window beside him and slides open the glass panes, climbs easily upon the sill. He sees the rogue stepping out onto the stoop, but cannot yet attack him. In a moment, he’ll be able to climb fully out onto the steps. It would be impossible, however, to use a longbow in the confines of the window itself.

Streko is about to throw his tanglefoot bag but the warforged is suddenly right there in front of him. Any attempt to make such a throw will only elicit a strike against him. Instead, he turns with his sickle and lashes out at the retreating rogue. Even distracted by two spells, the rogue easily steps aside the swing.

The rogue steps back again and hurls the flask in his hand into the midst of the room. The glass container ruptures when its hits the floor, spilling some sort of liquid which immediately ignites when it hits the air. Wherever the droplets fall, small blue fires spring up on the wooden floor. You feel burning heat and bone-numbing cold wash over you. Oss, Goran, and Pellorien are spared its direct effects, but even they can feel the heat and cold. The rest of the room’s occupants—including the warforged—are not spared. They feel the fire lick at their legs. It is not a blazing inferno, as the fires only spring up a foot off the ground, but it makes the battlefield that much more deadly. Each does his best to dance around the worst of the fire, but all affected feel the fire burn at their boots and clothing even as they glaze their lower bodies in a layer of frost. The effect is bizarre—and painful. The magical blue fire remains a threat for those standing within it, although its’ clear that it will burn itself out soon enough.

Despite his nasty the attack, the rogue does not look pleased with the outcome. Goran meets his eyes for a moment from his position in the wide window. The two men share a challenging glare. It is clear to the half-elf that the rogue will be making a run for it imminently.

The warforged still remains a greater threat to Grafth, so he wades into it with his two-handed grip. The blue fire is too distracting, however, and his axe blade glances off the warforged’s metal plating.

Pellorien is ready for her spell, but she knows she can only target the warforged; the rogue is beyond her sight now. Casting it defensively, she weaves her hands and speaks the words. The warforged suddenly arrests its movement and turns to look at her. It’s impossible to read its expression (as most warforged have no facial movement), but it appears to be fixing its attention fully upon her.

Kal can just glimpse the retreating rogue, launching a magical dart into the air, which slams into the enemy’s chest.

Oss wastes no time, sending a fiery orb at the warforged. His aim is true, and the flaming sphere bursts upon impact, blasting the warforged from its feet entirely. The construct drops to the floor, and the blue fire on the ground begins to catch on the wooden components of its body.

Taymra, not looking well at all, reaches up one hand to her temple. The dragonmark on that side of her face flares bright blue, her body blurs, and then she vanishes…appearing only a moment later right beside Oss. Still on her knees and bleeding badly, she appears ready to collapse.
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• Warforged’s attack: 7 (miss).
  
• Streko’s attack: 8 + 3 = 11 (miss).
  
• Rogue’s “incendiary” attack: Grafth’s Reflex save = 24 (success, taking 3 damage), Kal’s Reflex save = 14 (failure, taking 7 damage), Tangat’s Reflex save = 16 (success, taking 3 damage), Streko’s Reflex save = 8 (failure, taking 7 damage), Taymra’s Reflex save = 8 (failure, taking 7 damage), warforged’s Reflex save = 20 (success, taking 3 damage).
  
• Grafth’s attack: 9 + 4 = 13 (miss)
  
• Pellorien’s Concentration check = 21 / 4 HD affected / warforged is affected by her spell
  
• Kal’s magic missile: 3 damage
  
• Oss’s lesser orb of fire: 21 (success) / damage 9 fire

[Jeremy]

Goran grins at the rogue, and hops out the window as quickly as possible. If the rogue chooses to initiate close combat, the half-elf will have to switch to his sword. If the rogue makes a run for it, Goran will shoot him down. Either way, it could get ugly.

If Goran must shoot the rogue as he runs, he will try not to hurry it. If the rogue gives him more than a second before he disappears, Goran will take just enough time to do what he needs to do to ensure a true shot. Whatever the case, he will put an arrow in the bastard!

---

Off I go to sleep-land, hope Goran can make a contribution. If things complicate, maybe I can jump in before they move along too much. For instance, if Goran shoots the rogue down in the street, and there is no watch nearby, then he will go and investigate the body. If it's too dicey, however, he'll dash back inside and urge the others to get the hell out of Dodge! And of course whatever healing he can offer to the most seriously wounded, he will do so.

[Lara]

Pellorien selects a wand from her gear and takes aim at the rogue.

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Color Spray wand (from Fenwolt's gear)

This is a 15- foot cone effect; if she has to move so that the effect will reach the rogue, she will do so.

I understand that it's a moot point now to get the warforged to do anything as a result of the Hypnotize spell because it's down. If that's not the case, please let me know. Since speaking is a free action, I assume I can add a suggestion to it later.

[Jeff]

Pellorien's spell may have some influence over the warforged if he's revived within a matter of rounds. The spell only lasts 2d4 rounds.)

[Joe]

Streko watches as the Warforged drops. He turns back toward the Rogue, steps into the vacant, fire-free space directly in front of the door and tosses the Tanglefoot Bag at the Rogue.

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I assume that the Rogue is going to be fixated on Goran, but if not, then at the very least he's hoping the Doom spell, as well as having to fight on two fronts, gives him a bit of an advantage. In any event, Streko will use his Dodge feat to avoid as much of the Rogue's attacks on him as possible.

However, if the Tanglefoot Bag doesn't work out and the Rogue makes an attempt to leap and run, Streko will grab two darts from his backpack and throw them at the Rogue, then, retrieving his sickle, give a brief chase.

[Ed]

Beginning to step toward the rogue in pursuit, Oss stops himself by force of will and kneels down to touch the woman at his side.

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Cure light on d'Orien.

[Lara]

admin said:

Pellorien can only target the rogue if she has a line of sight on him, which would require her to move into the doorway. Is that what she's doing? This will place her immediately adjacent to him.

(As to the warforged, her spell may have some influence over him if he's revived within a matter of rounds. The spell only lasts 2d4 rounds.)

Well, the rogue's initiative falls before Pellorien's. Without knowing where or how he will move or what he will do on his initiative, it seems to me that all I can do is what I have said - that Pellorien will use the Color Spray wand on the rogue and that if she has to she will move to ensure that the spell effect will reach him.

Risking an AOO versus letting the rogue get away.... risk the AOO.

[Josh]

"By Onatar, move away from the fire!" Grafth shouts to everyone, allowing his axe to drop (preferably out of the fire). He intends to bodily remove either Tangat or Streko from the blue fire and get clear of it entirely. He will exit on whichever side seems safest, even if that means leaving the building.

[Darren]

Grimacing at the pain of the fire, Kalarian realizes that his compatriots seem to have the rogue covered and that he can be of no further use. Moving towards the hallway and retrieving his sharash, Kal stands by Taymra and watches the hallway, making sure no one is sneaking up behind them (but still keeping an eye towards the rogue and the warforged, lest he be attacked from that direction).

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[pink]Moving to the square on the other side of Taymra (opposite Oss), trying to put out the fire on himself, and watching for any ambush from that direction.

Sorry for the delay. I was working and away from my computer all afternoon/evening.[/pink]

[Jeff]

ROUND 3

16 = Goran
16 = Streko
14 = rogue / Grafth
13 = Pellorien / Kal / Tangat
10 = Oss
9 = Taymra
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Goran sees that a few of the passers-by have noticed the skirmish, but at the moment no members of the watch are within sight. He drops to the steps outside, bow in hand. The rogue winces, expecting death...a mere fifteen feet away from the rogue, it seems an easy shot, but in his haste Goran looses an arrow too soon. The missile skitters off the stone wall of the townhouse and breaks against the wall of the next building over—an unfortunately terrible shot (one of Goran's worst!). The rogue grins wickedly—

Only to frown when he sees Streko move into position to get a clear throw. The halfling hurls his misshapen bag into the air. And his aim is excellent. The bag bursts the moment it strikes the rogue, spilling alchemical grayish-hued glue all over him. The substance begins to solidify instantly.

The rogue begins to move, and although he’s too fast to be stuck fast by the glue, it’s clearly slowing him down. Knowing he can’t outrun Goran’s next arrow, he dashes down the steps as fast as he can and stabs at Goran. His aim is good but the hardening glue on his arm weakens the strike. The sharp shortsword pierces Goran’s leather armor, but fails to penetrate it completely. The rogue looks horrified.

The blue fire has begun to lessen, but still it burns, forcing all still within its area to attempt to dodge the worst of it.

Grafth tosses his axe to the side. Tangat is jumping away from the blue flame behind Kal, so he grabs Streko, easily picking him up and moving as quickly as possible safely to one side.

Pellorien weaves past the fire, unscathed, and steps out onto the stoop. She points a wand at the rogue, aiming it so it does not also strike Goran. A cone of coruscating colors blasts from its tip, an even spray of dazzling light. When it washes over the rogue, he flinches and tries to hold his hands up. Even Goran is forced to turn his eyes away for just a moment. When the colors recede, the rogue sways in place—his eyes tearing and blinking, his body unmoving.

Kal runs out of the flaming area and stands opposite Oss where Taymra has appeared. Oss turns to the Orien heir and lays his hands upon her shoulder, calling on two gods of the Sovereign Host to heal her. Strong enough to stand again—but still suffering from a ragged wound—she looks to the tall half-elf.

“I...appreciate that,” she manages through gritted teeth.
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• Goran’s attack: 1 + 7 = 8 (miss) (a natural "1," d’oh!)
  
• Streko’s attack: 19 + 4 = 23 (success).
  
• Blue fire: Grafth’s Reflex save = 18 (success, taking 2 damage), Kal’s Reflex save = 11 (failure, taking 4 damage), Tangat’s Reflex save = 17 (success, taking 2 damage), Streko’s Reflex save = 9 (failure, taking 4 damage), warforged’s automatic failure (taking 4 damage).
  
• Rogue’s attack: 14 -2 (entangled) = 12 (miss)
  
• Pellorien’s wand attack (successful) / rogue is stunned and blinded for 1d4 rounds (6-24 seconds)
  
• Oss heals Taymra 5 hit points.

[Jeremy]

If the half-elf can regain his confidence after such a dreadful and unexpected flub, he will sweep out his sword and clout the rogue solidly on the head with the hilts...and drag him indoors.

...however, if the watch turn up, Goran will smile broadly and throw his arm around the rogue's shoulders like an old friend, and escort the befuddled creature indoors with many a bawdy laugh...

---

When it's my turn again, that is. I still don't quite have the knack of figuring that out. ;D

[Jeff]

When it's my turn again, that is. I still don't quite have the knack of figuring that out.

Yup. During combat, once I've posted then everyone posts their intentions for the next round of combat. Then I post the results of that round. Rinse, repeat. Outside of combat, posting is more fluid.

[Lara]

Seeing the rogue incapacitated by her spell, Pellorien asks Goran, "Got him?" Pausing only briefly to communicate with her companion, she turns back to the foyer. The warforged appears to be down, as well, hit by Oss's spell and also taking damage from the unusual blue fire. Her hands go to her hips and she stands with a frown on her face. To Grafth and Streko she says, "Can we move it out of this fire? We need to get answers out of at least one of them. If the 'forged is still under the influence of my spell, it might talk."
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OK, "flavor" above, action here. Pellorien's concern is to incapicitate, not kill, the warforged. If Grafth and Streko will agree to drag it out of the fire and can do so without her assistance, then she'll stay out of their way since there's just not a lot of space at that end of the foyer. If one or both of those conditions are not met, then she'll move past them to that corner and try to move the warforged herself. She wants to ascertain its condition -- in terms of both damage and the effect of her spell, if possible.

[Jeff]

Quick note, Lara: The warforged is already incapacitated, if not already dead, first by injury (and some serious spellfire), then by the blue flame. The other problem is, Pellorien will not be able to tell if it's just damaged or truly dead anyway. Perhaps an artificer could tell, but none in this group. The hypnotism effect would be gone by then anyway. My in-game/out-of-game advice: stick with the rogue.

[Lara]

admin said:

Quick note, Lara: The warforged is already incapacitated, if not already dead, first by injury (and some serious spellfire), then by the blue flame. The other problem is, Pellorien will not be able to tell if it's just damaged or truly dead anyway. Perhaps an artificer could tell, but none in this group. The hypnotism effect would be gone by then anyway. My in-game/out-of-game advice: stick with the rogue.

Yeah, I understand the warforged is disabled. I don't understand the meta-gaming. The character has a genuine interest in incapacitating/disabling rather than killing. Isn't having Pellorien figure out her limitations part of play? All right, well... here's a rogue-centered course of action.
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Pellorien says to Goran, "Hold up a moment." She walks up behind the incapacitated rogue and says, "Boy, I'm glad I'm not your friend. You sure did a good number on him with that spiffy fire. So you've got no one but yourself to blame for this."
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Pellorien casts Whelm on the rogue, unless Goran doesn't hold action and goes ahead and knocks him out. If he goes down, she'll still talk, but she won't use the spell -- she might, however, kick him for emphasis.

[Darren]

Still pained by the fire, Kalarian does whatever he can to lessen its effects.

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I got nothing.

[Joe]

Streko is in serious pain, but turns to Grafth. "I'm not the strongest halfling on Eberron, but if you would assist me, my friend, perhaps we can both pull the warforged out of the flame and I can stabalize him, if he isn't already dead.

He calls out to Pellorian. "Has the Rogue been incapacitated? If so, does anyone need a rope to tie him up with?"

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If Streko and Grafth, assuming he agrees, can get to the Warforged and pull him back to the non-flammable area, Streko will attempt to ascertain whether or not the warforged needs healing...if so, he will pull a healing kit from his backpack and apply it. If he can't figure it out (does he have any ranks of knowledge that can help here?), he will seek advice from the others before proceeding.

[Jeff]

For simplicity, we're breaking out of turn-based mode. The enemies are, for now, neutralized.
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The shortsword drops from the rogue’s limp hands. Goran draws out his own sword and strikes the man on the head with the pommel.

Pellorien thrusts one palm in the rogue’s direction, unleashing an invisible spell that makes his head jerk. Though he is still stunned by the wand’s power and seems unable to see anything, the rogue still stands, unsteady, not yet unconscious.

The flames on the floor have mostly died down, leaving scorched wood and boards brittle. They no longer pose a threat to anyone careful enough walking across them. Grafth, Kal, and Streko show signs of having dealt with them however: pant legs partially burned and frost limning the exposed flesh. Not pleasant—but no longer burning.

Anger and pain burning in her eyes, Taymra rushes past Oss, leaps nimbly through the window opened by Goran, and drops down to where the half-elf and Pellorien stand. She strikes him in the side of the head with the hilt of her rapier, and with Goran and Pellorien's help batters him down to the steps, out of plain sight of the foot traffic. Between the three of them, the rogue is now out cold.

“Good,” she says. “We need to get him talking—but not here. This place is drawing too much attention. And we need to see if there are any more lurking about. Hard to believe a strike team is only two." She looks up to Pellorien; Pellorien can see that her charm spell is still in effect and will be for another couple hours. "I've already searched this residence for clues. This man may have answers for us, answers we both want. I can lead us to safety, or is there somewhere you'd prefer to go?"

Grafth and Streko drag the warforged's very heavy body (mostly Grafth's work) out of the lingering small fires and onto the solid floor. Streko takes a good look at the construct's body—and is baffled. It's clearly quite battered. Only using a healing spell (not so effective on warforged) would tell him for sure if it's dead or not. But one thing is clear: if it is still alive, it needs a lot of repair to revive it again, or possibly two or more healing spells.

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• Goran’s attack: 9 + 4 – 4 (nonlethal strike) = 13 (success) / nonlethal damage 8
• Pellorien’s spell: success / 3 nonlethal damage
  
• Tymra's attack: 15 (success) / nonlethal damage 7
  
• Goran’s attack: 18 + 4 - 4 = 18 (success) = 13 (success) / nonlethal damage 8

[Darren]

Frustrated that the clothes he just had laundered are once again a mess, Kalarian retrives the sunrod and strides forward to where Taymra is. "You're right, we probably shouldn't stay here. It'd be too far to carry the warforged back to where we're staying. Do you have a suggestion of where to go?"

[Lara]

Pellorien nods in agreement.

"Where do you propose we go? And, how are your wounds?"

[Jeff]

Taymra nods her head at Kal's words, but she looks to Pellorien when she answers. "I do. My home. Small, out of the way, quiet." She forces a smile through her aches. "And with you six, perhaps we can piece more of the puzzle together. I've found one of the other 'missing' survivors."

"I'm fine, I'll live," she answers Pellorien. "Thanks to you and your friends." Now she looks back to Kal. "Can you carry this man? Or one of your friends?"

[Joe]

Streko grimaces.

"We must go some place safe and quiet, so that those of us who need rest and healing can get it. I will attempt to make sure this warforged individual is alive, but other than that, I'm afraid he must remain here."

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Streko will perform a healing on the warforged to make sure he is alive or not (at the very least, if he is, hopefully it will stabilize him).

[Darren]

"Yes, I believe I can carry him," Kal answers, handing his sharash and the sunrod to Streko in order to free up his hands. The leather straps around his leg creak as he bends down and then with a grunt of exertion, Kalarian lifts the limp form over his shoulder. "If anyone asks, we were out drinking and our friend here had a bit too much." He then gestures to Taymra to lead on. "Incidentally, this other survivor...did it happen to be a halfling?"
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Before picking him up, Kal will check the rogue for any useful posessions.

[Joe]

Streko takes Kal's sunrod and slips it into his backpack. He then attempts to discover the condition of the Warforged.

[Jeff]

The sharash, sized for a human, is quite unwieldy for Streko. It's ten pounds and extremely long. Of course, he might just be able to get the whole thing in his pack...

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Joe: sunrods run their course while they're lit, glowing for "6 hours, after which the gold tip is burned out and worthless." So if you put that sunrod away, by the time you want to use it again it'll be finished. Think of sunrods as matches, in this regard.

[Joe]

Streko addresses Taymara: "I can provide some...cover...for us, should you wish to make our leave from here more difficult, as well as obscuring our path, should someone be attempting to follow us. Simply tell me the best location to confuse would-be trackers and I shall do my best to assist."

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Taking and stowing Kal's sunrod is pretty much Streko's way of "policing the area" so that, should someone attempt to locate them, it might not be so easy (as long as it doesn't BURN the contents of the bag...that would be rude...).

[Jeff]

Kal checks the rogue's pockets briefly: finding a pair of daggers, a money pouch, and a second glass flask swishing with a viscid white liquid. (Is he taking these items?) Then he hefts the man over his shoulder. A solid weight, but one Kal can put up with for a while.

When Streko places the sunrod in his pack, its light vanishes. Then runs back into the house and lays his hands upon the scorched body of the warforged. He intones a prayer to Olladra and channels healing power into it. When its bodies responds not at all, he can tell there is no life force remaining in its body. Dead.

Nodding now that Kal has taken the battered rogue into his arms, Taymra looks to Streko when he returns again. "If you are all ready to follow me, let us go. I think you should save your spell, good halfling. Even that may draw attention. Look, the watch is coming. Let's go!"

At the far end of the street, a small patroll of watchmen turn onto the street. At the moment there is nothing drawing attention to your party or the townhouse: all major lights are shuttered or dispelled, and the blue fire is all but gone. But a few of the people on the street who saw some sort of struggle taking place are lingering. It's anyone's guess if they'll tell the watch.

Taymra, doing her best to hide her horrid wound with her raglike cloak, leads the way...

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Streko's cure light wounds would have restored 3 hit points to a normal living creature or 1 to a warforged.

Sunrods produce no substantial heat; no worries.

Per this post, while walking through the streets, feel free to have your character speak with one another using orange text. That way anyone not choosing to—or not able to—participate in that dialogue can freely skip over it.

[Darren]

Yes, Kalarian is taking the rogue's stuff.

[Jeff]

Kal has taken the rogue's most obvious possessions. What of his shortsword?

Within the townhouse, where Grafth and Oss are straightening themselves to go, the warforged's military pick and small steel shield lie unclaimed.

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Just a bit of everyday D&D advice: enemy equipment can be sold, sometimes for a pretty good price. I'll say no more about it.