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Post by DM Quietus on Oct 21, 2012 23:25:20 GMT -5
The sun is just passing overhead, when the end of your long journey comes into sight - the Wyvern Cliffs, given no fancy name because no one cared to settle here. The reason is clear, as you can make out the silhouettes of a pair of the namesake beasts in the distance, flying together in clumsy spirals. If it weren't for the wyverns themselves, the area would be beautiful - the cool breeze coming in from the ocean carries the tang of salt water, and ruffles the long, uncut grass. Beneath you, Fireheart tosses her head, her banded mail barding clanking loudly against itself. You can't help but smile, seeing how well she's held up under the weight of two sets of armor and a rider - your mentor had been impressed when you'd picked her out as a foal, and had helped to raise her to be the impressive and loyal creature she is today.
It occurs to you that the village you'd come to protect is now four hours behind you - even on the wing, it would take the wyverns quite a bit of time to travel back and forth. And yet, they'd gone out of their way, purely to pick up a young woman. The stories you'd heard while you spent the night at her family's home had been heartbreaking, and more than once you'd awoken to her mother calling out for her lost child in the night. The attack had been almost a week ago, now, and her father has clearly given up hope of getting her back alive.. but had quietly asked for you to bring back her remains, if you can find them. As you watch the distant wyverns swoop and dive around one another, however, you find yourself doubting that you'll find even that much.
((Wasn't sure what gender Fireheart was, I went with female but can edit that if you prefer male.
Does your mentor have a name?
I was going to give you a DC 21 Knowledge check to recognize that as a mating flight, but it seems you don't have any ranks in Knowledge : Arcana, as a dragon slayer?))
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Post by DM-Delfon on Oct 24, 2012 19:19:24 GMT -5
(Female is fine. It wasn't a class skill. I intend to do a lot of learning in game. I see my skills as tought to me by my mentor Sidgen, an the image I have in my head left little room for book learning. Everything I know about wyvern a would be hearsay or mentor taught. I suspect that what my mentor didn't bother to tell me will show me why I will later study my ass off before attacking Dragons.)
Xanadu checks over his gear, making sure nothing has shifted from its place during the ride. He loosens his heavy pick in it's loop at his belt, and smiles at the memory of his mentor harrassing him about his choice of weapon. "What're ya gunna do wit dat ting? It aint got no reach. It only 'as dat wee lil point for attacking!" The man said while gesturing at his own two handed hook sword. Sidgen smiled when Xanadu drove that wee lil point right through a solid steel helmet. The same kind of helmet that Sidgen himself wore. "Yer payin fer dat helm boy." Was all he said, but he never said another word about Xanadu's choice of weapon.
Knowing that his gear is in place Xanadu removes his tower shield from it's side harness, and straps it to his left arm. He then pats Fireheart's neck and says, "Be ready old friend, today we face our first real large sized Dragon. They might even be larger than you without counting their wings. If there is any chance that she's still alive, we can't dally here." Applying a little extra pressure with his knees, Xanadu raises his voice, "Let us ride!" And Fireheart begins moving at a steadily faster rate, until the two are traveling at a quick trot.
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Post by DM Quietus on Oct 28, 2012 21:42:17 GMT -5
Fireheart's head tosses when you speak to her, still confident and ready for a fight. Sensing your tenseness but not seeing anything she recognizes as an opponent in range, she seems on edge, and responds to your commands briskly as she raises her pace. You can feel every step as a slight bump, softened through the military saddle, the landscape rushing by as she trots over the unmarked land. Off to the East, you're aware of the mountains rising up to meet the sky, but it's the dragons that hold your attention.
As you grow nearer to the edge of the cliff, you can see one of the wyverns in the air take notice of you, and give a piercing cry. A moment after it does so, a trio of other wyverns join the pair in the sky, but these do not remain out at sea. Of the trio, two begin circling broadly overhead, the third breaking away from them and diving in toward you! As it flies nearer, you can see the cruelty in its unblinking eyes, the powerful muscles through its entire body, and the jagged scales that make up its hide. There is a rush of air as the wyvern pulls upward at the last minute, and its long, stinger-tipped tail whips through the air, the tip on target to punch through the metal of your full plate.
((If Xanadu speaks Draconic, he would recognize the cries as various declarations of "Intruder!", "Food!", and "Mine!" - mostly single-word announcements uttered by six-int creatures.
Initiative was rolled; Wyverns get 18, which is the best you can get even with a 20. They go first, as they would win a tie.
You would have as many rounds as you needed before getting near enough to the cliff, and three once you came close enough for it to matter narratively. Wyvern is charging; Stinger rolled 28 vs. your AC on a charge, so it will still occupy the space it was in for its own turn, narratively still on the wing. Unless your preparations increased your AC, that's 6 points of stinger to the chest, and a DC 17 fort save vs. 6 con damage.))
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Post by DM-Delfon on Oct 28, 2012 23:30:36 GMT -5
(Init 16 is the best I can do on a Nat 20 : ) So they totally go first. Languages were not listed, but Draconic makes the most sense since I only get 1 extra language. I re-posted an edited version of the sheet in this boards character section, adding names and languages to the post.)
As the Wyvern cries out Xanadu knows that battle is not far off, so he pulls out one of his anti toxin's, and drinks it down. Other than drawing his heavy pick, Xanadu makes no further preparation for battle while riding toward the charging Wyvern. As the creatures deadly stinger moves in, Xanadu makes no move to dodge the blow, relying on his armour to deflect the worst of it while he focuses on landing a solid blow. When the stinger slams past the plate and into his flesh, Xanadu curses in Draconic, "By Bahamut you will pay for that!" While the stinger is still pumping venom into his body, Xanadu slams his shield arm into the tail to pull the main bulk of the dragon closer. Then with all the strength he can muster he swings his pick into the creatures shoulder, hoping to disable it's grasping claws.
(Even on a nat 1 I add 20 to Fort saves with the Anti Toxin flowing through my blood. I rolled anyway and got a 4, so 24. Just in case you were doing 1's always fail.
Fort: 4+10=24 Attack: 20+9=29 Confirm: 14+9=23 Damage: 2+6=8, x4 = 32
Current HP: 52/58)
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Post by DM Quietus on Nov 1, 2012 22:15:25 GMT -5
You can feel your pick drive in to the hilt, a very different feeling from the day you'd punctured that helmet - the sound of the edges driving against scale, however, are remarkably similar to the sound it had made. Blood spurts from the wound, and the hiss the wyvern had given when you'd uttered Bahamut's name becomes a full-throated roar, leaving your ears ringing. Hooking your feet into your saddle, Fireheart groans in discomfort and fear with the large, thrashing dragon so near, but your combined weights and the pick in the wyvern's shoulder make it unable to continue its flight. Its weight instead crashes into you, the wounded shoulder unable to sustain its flight, and directs its rage toward you.
The following exchange is a maddening flurry of blows, and you do your best to weather it; with your pick in its shoulder, you wrench the beast around, raising your shield arm to catch the blows from its other side. At one point, it nearly catches your shield in its jaws and pulls it away, but a sharp yank on its shoulder lets you get free of its teeth, just in time to deflect another blow from a wing. Sweat beads on your forehead in the heat of battle, but you manage - just barely - to keep this angry, heaving creature from landing another blow.
((Holy hell, man - it rolled a pair of 19's on a bite and wing, but adds only 8. I believe your AC is 28, so those missed, barely. Instead you get a full ton of dragon sitting on top of you and your horse, narratively. Rulewise, it's adjacent.))
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Post by DM-Delfon on Nov 3, 2012 10:30:57 GMT -5
(AC28 with dodge, which I'm clearly using on this thing. I'm really glad I made a dragon slaying character. Any other character of this level would have been taken apart by your rolls thus far.)
With the heavy pick being so useful in controlling the creature like a leash, Xanadu leaves the weapon inside the dragon. Instead Xanadu waits for the perfect moment to punch the back of the weapon with the side of his shield, driving it deeper, and causing further damage. Carefully timing his strike to land between the various blocks, and shifts in dragonic weight.
(Rolls: Attack 12+9=21 Damage 2+6 = 8)
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Post by DM-Delfon on Nov 3, 2012 10:57:33 GMT -5
100 D20 rolls. Save em for a rainy day! 17,10,11,7,9,4,16,9,16,9,3,13,18,13,1,12,7,12,20,9,17,1,16,19,8,2,9,2,18,8,10,8,18,5,16,6,20,7,13, 2,6,17,8,4,1,17,18,7,19,14,16,8,11,4,15,6,7,8,8,5,1,1,5,6,16,7,10,19,10,17,10,19,13,5,4,2,11,8,9
10d6: 3,2,1,6,4,1,2,4,6,5
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Post by DM Quietus on Nov 4, 2012 21:28:23 GMT -5
In amongst the wyvern's screaming and thrashing attempts to knock you away, you manage to find your opening, and drive your pick further into the thick muscle beneath its scaled hide. As you do, there's a sudden yank on your pick, and you have only two options - let go of it, or pull it free. Choosing the latter, you can feel the ichor coating your weapon slide down and over your gauntleted fist while your quarry shakes off the damage, clearly favoring its wounded shoulder.
After it's recovered its balance, and you've shaken the gore off your weapon to keep it from getting too slick, the wyvern once more takes to the air, shakily at first, but slowly circling overhead shrieking in rage. Readying yourself, you wait, watching carefully for the moment it strikes. Finally, that moment comes, and it makes a steep dive for you, pulling up at the very last second and whipping its stinger in a swift arc toward you. Catching the brunt of it with your shield, you can feel the strain in your arm from the sheer power of the strike, but you take the opportunity to drive your pick directly into its stinger as it pulses thick, black venom onto your armor. As the wyvern tries to gain lift once again, you use your shield hand to grip the pick by the head, hook your feet into your stirrups, and can feel its sheer strength as it lifts you right out of your saddle. The weight of you and your armor, however, prove to be too much for its wounded shoulder, and you only get pulled a few feet before the beast falls heavily to the ground, throwing up a cloud of dust thick enough to obscure your vision. Above you, the shapes of two more wyverns are slowly circling against the clouds, and you can't be sure, but you think they're growing larger.
((I've used up six of your rolls - one miss, two hits, over three rounds, and three for the poison saves. No nat 1's there, so you're safe. I've left it narratively open for the wyvern to either be dead, or for you to make the killing blow, as you like. Oh, and you take six damage from a stinger hit, but you made your fort saves, so no poison.))
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Post by DM-Delfon on Nov 6, 2012 20:45:55 GMT -5
With no advantage to be gained from the local environment, Xanadu readies himself to strike the first Wyvern that comes within range. This time he wants to avoid that first stinger, and as such Xanadu will try to puncture the barbed tail as it makes it's way toward him. Watching the creatures drop toward him, Xanadu tries to time a leap from Fireheart for just before the creatures land, or swoop past. If Xanadu can pass under one, to prevent the other from attacking, or better yet crash into one another, all the better.
(Rolls: Ready action - Attack: 19+9=28 Damage: 6+6=12 Handle Animal / ride: 10+4 or 9 = 14 or 19 Treat the movement as Firehearts ready action?
Current HP: 44/58)
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Post by DM Quietus on Nov 7, 2012 22:22:37 GMT -5
The wyverns flying above give you just barely enough time to get back atop Fireheart, before beginning their attack in concert. They break the broad circle they'd been forming overhead, each flying off in different directions, and diving steeply through the space you occupy. Urging Fireheart forward as they charge, you gallop forward along the first wyvern's flight path, managing to get far enough that its outstretched talons fail to find their mark. As its tail passes overhead, however, you swing your pick in a broad overhead strike, and feel the point strike true, puncturing the meaty part of the stinger and tearing a hole in it. The force of your blow sends the tail careening sideways, and the second wyvern has to bank hard to avoid catching the tip in its nose - you think you may have caught the venom sac in the first wyvern's tail, but you hardly have time to think about that as both creatures begin to twist their flight paths in a wide U-turn. As they do so, their harsh voices scream obscenities - at you, and at each other - in Draconic, as loudly as they can to make up for the uninventiveness of the insults.
((Rules-wise, I've treated your description as being what happened because neither wyvern hit with their attacks. The "ruined venom sac" will likely have no mechanical effect, as you pass poison saves on everything but a natural 1, and they're currently attempting talon attacks anyway.))
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Post by DM-Delfon on Nov 7, 2012 22:39:57 GMT -5
Knowing that the same trick will not work a second time, Xanadu has something trickier in mind. He presses with his knees to bring Fireheart up to a trot, and makes it look like they're going to attempt the same maneuver. Then at the critical moment Xanadu pulls Fireheart to a dead stop. The hope here is that they will adjust to soon and pass harmlessly in front, or perhaps actually crash into one another if they overcompensate to attack the mounted man.
Regardless of the outcome Xanadu charges when the chance is available to him, working on the same Wyvern if possible.
(Rolls: bluff: 18+5 (7 if this counts as an opposed check)=23 (25) Attack: 7+9+2=18 Damage: 5+6=11)
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Post by DM Quietus on Nov 9, 2012 20:24:22 GMT -5
For a brief moment, the two wyverns seem more interested in fighting each other than fighting you; the sound of their jaws snapping together harshly as they bite at each other in the air reaches you on the ground, interspersed with more Draconic obscenities. They seem to sort themselves out, however, and resume their attack, trying the same basic maneuver as they had before.
As you'd anticipated, they see your movement, and adjust to meet you - only to come up short, their talons far from catching you. Seeing your opportunity, you charge into the mix at an angle, taking your swing. You don't have the time to get a good body shot in, but you manage to snag your pick into the membrane of a wing, and then hold on as you feel the flesh give way, like a piercing being ripped free. The wyvern - not the one you'd struck previously, but still unanswered damage - wobbles heavily in its flight, getting in the flight path of its partner and ensuring your strike goes unanswered.
((Once again, wasn't precisely sure how to adjucate that, but the highest either of the wyverns rolled was an 11, which wouldn't be enough to beat either your charging AC or your Bluff. So, narratively, your ploy clearly worked!))
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Post by DM-Delfon on Nov 10, 2012 13:34:25 GMT -5
(I figure most of what I'm doing will be narrative anyway. I just don't want to make the thread a boring slug fest. More narrative stuff coming below ) Xanadu knows that if he wants to finish one of the Wyvern's off he has to get it to stop flying around. Once it's too wounded it could simply fly away. Perhaps warn the entire area of his presence. So Xanadu tries something interesting, he waits to see the Wyvern's flight path this time and charges straight at them. At the last moment he gets Fireheart to complete a leaping attack, where she leaps and turns, so her flank would bowl over any infantry that he had to fight. To avoid the Wyvern attacking her, Xanadu uses his tower shield to provide total cover. (So, I was looking at this as a bull rush where shield backed by charging horse flesh creates a wall to stop the Wyvern's flight. I'm aiming to create a stall so the Wyvern is grounded and we can duke it out like the last one. I don't know what kind of rolls you want for this so just take them out of the dice pool above. I also added 10D6 rolls so we can adjudicate damage. I figure you can roll a D10 and take that result.)
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Post by DM Quietus on Nov 10, 2012 23:30:46 GMT -5
You realize, a moment too late, that your attempt to protect Fireheart has left you momentarily unprotected. The wyvern's claws crash into your armor, but your plate does its job and keeps your flesh unmarred. You can feel its talons scrabbling to gain purchase, and then sliding away as the beast takes flight once more, and you lash out at its wing, attempting to interrupt it with your shield. The thud of the creature's wing makes your arm tingle briefly, but barely seems to affect its flight path at all. As Fireheart lands her leap, the heavy whoosh of wings sends a downdraft over you, the second wyvern hissing its annoyance at your refusal to lay down and die as it passes overhead.
((Horse aid other on trip attempt : 17+8 = 25, pass Trip attempt initiated by Xanadu - Wyvern AoO 12+10 vs. AC 28, miss Touch attack : 14 + 10 = 24 opposed str check : Xanadu 5 + 3 + 2 +2 = 12, Wyvern 9 + 8 = 17, wyvern wins Reactive opposed str check : Xanadu 10 + 3 + 2 = 15, Wyvern 6 + 8 = 14, Xanadu wins
Wyvern attacks : 3+10 and 2+10, both miss
That looks a lot less complicated written down like that... overall, a whole lot of misses on everyone's part, but at least you didn't get tripped for failing your own attempt.))
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Post by DM-Delfon on Nov 13, 2012 9:57:51 GMT -5
As the Wyvern passes overhead Xanadu stands in his stirrups to lash out at the creatures retreating form. Growing wary of this battle dragging out. Xanadu keeps his shield tucked closer to his body to protect his vitals. He knows that if he is to live through this, he will need to conserve his energy.
(Rolls: Attack on defensive: 19+5=24 Damage: 6+6=12
Chew up some rolls in brute combat, say 3 rounds worth? Then I'll try something wacky again if needed.)
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Post by DM Quietus on Nov 13, 2012 20:06:39 GMT -5
The next few seconds are a blur, the two wyverns circling about your head and taking potshots at you with their claws and stingers. You have one close call, where you feel the wyvern's claws closing around your shoulders, but your defensive stance allows you to get your shield up and underneath the creature's grasp, leaving it scrabbling uselessly against the increased area and failing to grab hold.
Your luck, too, is less than spectacular; With your shield so close to your body, you find yourself limited in your ability to strike. Oftentimes you find your pick swinging through the open air as one wyvern or the other takes off once more, but you do get one lucky shot in - while the one wyvern is trying desperately to get hold of your shoulders, you manage to sink your pick into the meaty part of its leg. Thick blood gushes down and runs off your shield, leaving a stinking smear across the side of Fireheart's barding, but you feel confident as the winner in that exchange. The wyverns back off a moment, the one nursing its leg a little as they regroup circling above your head uttering audible growls and hisses once more.
((Only your attack in your post hit of those three, and the wyverns nearly hit you once - rolled a 50% chance on whether it was the one you'd likely target with Dodge, and it was. That's all that saved you this time. 12 damage done, 0 taken, not a bad deal.))
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Post by DM-Delfon on Nov 13, 2012 20:21:45 GMT -5
"Pathetic forgotten spawn of Tiamat!" Xanadu shouts up at the circling Dragons. "Quit your cowardly circling, and face me with tooth and scale!" Xanadu holds up his pick when he says tooth, and slams it noisily across his plate when he says scale. Knowing that they will likely miss most of what he said, but understand that they are being insulted. Xanadu readies himself to attack the first Wyvern that comes within range.
(Rolls: Intimidate (boasting challenge, no mechanical effect) 11+5=16 Attack Defensively: 13+5=18 Damage: 2+6=8)
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Post by DM Quietus on Nov 15, 2012 21:45:20 GMT -5
Your threats seem to fall on dear ears at first, as the wyverns take another swooping dive. Your pick skims through the leg you'd just wounded, not managing to get quite as deep, but catching on a scale and ripping it off. The screech that echoes from that wyvern's jaws is horrendous as it circles wide, allowing its companion to take its run. The second wyvern, the one with the torn wing, seems wary of your strikes and is overly cautious as it swoops overhead. As you lean to one side, letting Fireheart support some of your weight, you prove its caution wise as its jaws clamp uselessly shut where you had been, and then find your pick jammed up through the bottom of its jaw. The stench of its breath mixes with the hot coppery smell of blood as it flies away, but you realize too late that its body had blocked your view of the other wyvern. Unable to bring your shield around in time, you feel its massive weight crash into you, knocking you from your saddle. It takes you a moment to realize the reason you're still having trouble taking a breath is because there is one ton of wyvern sitting atop you, its injured leg pinning one arm to the ground, the other pressing down on your chest.
((Round 1 : You hit, wyverns miss. Round 2 : You hit, 1 wyvern misses, 1 wyvern criticals (29 damage to Xanadu), you get grappled.
You are technically neither prone nor pinned, but you *are* grappled. That much damage demanded epic description.))
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Post by DM-Delfon on Nov 15, 2012 22:45:22 GMT -5
While Xanadu sees stars from smashing into the ground from horseback, he has a brief flashback of his mentor Sidgen teaching that: "In combat you focus on the task at hand. Killing. In the work of killing there is no time for boasts and taunts. You focus on dealing death, and leave the boasting for the taverns!" Xanadu never really understood why he said that until now, while laying three quarters dead under a ton of pissed off Wyvern.
As the fuzziness around Xanadu's vision clears, and he comes to realize the situation he has gotten himself into. He whistles, short and shrill, and Fireheart rears up and double hoof kicks the Wyvern in order to get it off of Xanadu. With his shield arm pinned to the ground, Xanadu drives his gauntlet covered fist into the Wyvern's wounded leg to knock it off balance. Curling his legs up under the Wyvern he heaves with all his strength to roll the thing off of him.
If Xanadu manages to get the creature off of him, he quickly remounts Fireheart to prepare for the other Wyvern's airborne attack.
(Rolls: Handle Animal: 9+4=13 Fireheart Touch Attack: 4+6 = 10 Fireheart (Narrative aid) Grapple: 11+11 = 22 (pass) Xanadu Break Grapple:14+10+2=26
Current HP: 15/58 - Holy hell! OW!)
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Post by DM Quietus on Nov 15, 2012 23:03:31 GMT -5
The wyvern in flight sees its chance as you leap up into the saddle, and you see it swoop down out of the air, jaws open and slavering. Preparing yourself to get out of the way, the wyvern that had gotten you pinned to the ground previously strikes you indignantly with a wing, and you find your dodge ruined. The wyvern in flight, torn wing rattling in the wind, manages to get hold of your shield on its way back into the air, and you can feel it wrench hard on your arm - you barely manage to hold onto it, and several long furrows mark where its teeth had been. As you bring your shield back around and block the rest of the ground-borne wyvern's frenzied attack, you're peripherally aware that the one in flight is circling, ready for another pass.
((Stinger hits, as per rolls, but since we've already handled the poison, I'm narrating it as teeth instead. Flows better for your later plans.
Oh, yeah. Tail does 9 damage; Wing does 5.
::Edit:: Wyvern on the ground has 24 HP remaining))
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Post by DM-Delfon on Nov 15, 2012 23:27:20 GMT -5
Xanadu gets a crazy idea. Perhaps it's the last ditch efforts of a hero, or maybe the blood loss has finally broken his mind. Xanadu is going to attempt to smash the flying Wyvern into the land bound Wyvern. Positioning himself between the flying Wyvern, and the land bound one. Xanadu waits until the last possible moment before he stands, and twists his body to bring his pick around in a wide arc.
He smashes the point through Wyvern's skull, just like Sidgen's helmet so long ago. With the pick lodged solidly into bone, Xanadu drops back into the saddle. He pulls down hard to veer the flying Wyvern into his fellow. The creature does a tight airborne somersault, and smashes heavily onto his companion. In the confusion caused Xanadu knows he must make every moment count, and so he heels Fireheart into the fray with a flurry of hooves and teeth.
(Rolls: Attack: Nat 20+9 = 29 Confirm: 17+9=26 Damage: 6+6=12*4=48
Following Round rolls: (Narrative) Attack: 19+9 = 28 (Narrative) Damage: 3+6 = 9 Fireheart Hoof 1 Attack: 15+6=21 Fireheart Hoof 1 Damage: 3+4=7 Fireheart Hoof 2 Attack: Nat 1+6=7 Fireheart Bite: 16+1=17 - Damn it! 1 shy of hitting!
Current HP 1/58)
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Post by DM Quietus on Nov 20, 2012 14:58:46 GMT -5
With the dead wyvern atop your target, you find it difficult to get a clear shot - as the living beast struggles beneath its fallen fellow, the corpse's head proves to be in the way, not giving you a chance to land a blow. Instead, you allow Fireheart to continue her attack, using your pick to drag the corpse's head out of the way, its tongue lolling out one side of its mouth, blood oozing from wounds where it had been bitten during its fall. Once the corpse is out of the way, the fallen wyvern attempts to shake itself off and get up off the ground, and Fireheart uses the opportunity to land a hoof squarely in its mouth. The blow is not a telling one, but there is a very satisfying crack as hoof lands against tooth, and a bellow of rage from the wyvern.
((Your attack misses, Fireheart lands a 5 damage hit [10 hp remaining], wyvern rolls nothing higher than 24. And is now pissed at Fireheart.))
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Post by DM-Delfon on Nov 22, 2012 11:26:45 GMT -5
(My post pretty much relies on the Wyvern being staggered. I assume that someone battle trained would recognize when his foe is pretty much beaten senseless. Or at least that's how im justifying my metagaming. This entire post steams from my rolled damage equating to his health. Using my metagame knowledge of his health, I give you the following:)
With the end of the battle in sight Xanadu drives his pick home, this time not going for a decisive killing stroke, but instead just a wounding blow. With the creature staggered from the blow Xanadu urges Fireheart forward. With the weight of mount and rider Xanadu hopes to hold the creature still until he can get some information.
Once the creature realizes that struggling will only tear open its wounds, Xanadu dismounts and crouches by the creatures head. Grabbing it's jaw with his gauntlet covered fist, Xanadu asks, "Where is the woman?"
(Rolls: Attack 14+9 = 23 Damage 4+6 = 10 (staggered?) Fireheart Touch: 5+6 = 11 Fireheart Grapple: 2+11 = 13)
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Post by DM Quietus on Nov 22, 2012 15:23:54 GMT -5
Fireheart is unable to find solid enough footing as the wyvern thrashes, but your point is made - you may be heavily damaged and on your last legs, but the wyvern is just barely holding to consciousness. Its barbed tail whips back and forth in agitation like a cat, poison leaking from its punctured stinger, but it recognizes that it has been bested. When you ask it about the woman, you hear it rumbling, and you briefly mistake that for a growl. A moment later, you realize that the wyvern isn't growling - it's laughing. When it finally opens its mouth to answer, the stench of its breath consumes you, smelling for all the world like something has been left rotting in there. "Kalfyra", it spits, threads of saliva and blood landing thickly across your armor.
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Post by DM Quietus on Nov 22, 2012 15:58:59 GMT -5
((As an aside, experience gained : 2250 for the first fight, 4500 for the second, so 6750 all together. That's a level up for you! Treasure will be rewarded in time depending on your actions.))
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Post by DM-Delfon on Nov 25, 2012 11:12:31 GMT -5
With a quick jab to the nose, not to cause damage, but to get it's attention, "Do not try my patience. Who is Kalfyra? What is Kalfyra? Where is Kalfyra? Does the woman still live?" Xanadu asks each question after the Wyvern answers the last. His voice is edged with anger, and each question is clipped with restraint.
While Xanadu interrogates the Wyvern, he reaches down to brush against his holy symbol. Channeling the powers of Bahamut, some of his wounds pull themselves closed in a wash of blue white energy.
(Lay on hands - +6 HP, +12 Level up, Current HP 19.)
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Post by DM Quietus on Nov 25, 2012 11:32:53 GMT -5
The wyvern growls at the insulting smack on the nose, and you can see its muscles tense beneath that thick layer of scales in annoyance. Still, it answers each of your questions in poorly formed Draconic, "She is a great Red, in mountains to the East. Girls are delivered alive, then we leave.", it sneers, apparently amused at the idea that you might be chasing after a corpse.
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Post by DM-Delfon on Nov 25, 2012 12:45:11 GMT -5
Nodding, Xanadu stands, "Thank you for your co-operation." Hefting his heavy pick, Xanadu braces for the expected strike from the Wyvern's stinger, and he is not disappointed. As the stinger bounces harmlessly off of his plate, Xanadu steps on the back of the Wyvern's head and slams his pick down through his skull. With the creature dead, Xanadu sets to work butchering his kills. First he removes the Wyvern's heads as proof of his deeds. He then sets to work creating rolls out of the Wyvern's scales. He then carefully removes the ends of the Wyvern's tails, poison sacs and stingers included. After cleaning his equipment, he returns to finish creating some nice cuts of Wyvern Steak. With his butchers work completed, he mounts Fireheart and heads back home.
(Rolls: Coup de Grace: 8+9 = 17 Critical Damage: 4+7 = 11, x4 = 44 Profession Butcher: 15+2 = 17)
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Post by DM Quietus on Nov 26, 2012 22:22:25 GMT -5
The wyvern's sad attempt at retribution fails miserably, and it dies as it lived - with hatred in its eyes. The process of removing the scales is remarkably difficult, and the weight of all your trophies is almost too much for Fireheart to bear. You find room to carry enough meat back for a small feast; much of the wyverns are simply too tough to make anything more than "technically edible" jerky out of. There is a strip of soft meat running down their tails, however, and you manage a few sizable steaks, along with the heads, scales and stingers. While you work, the two wyverns you saw circling one another vanished somewhere against the cliff, content to leave you be, and the process of carving the last wyvern is accompanied by the horrendous sound of shrieks and bellows.
As you arrive back at the village, dusk is falling, yet a small crowd begins to gather. You've had to walk alongside Fireheart to provide her some comfort from the weight, and you can imagine how the silhouette of a burdened horse and a knight on foot must look. When you grow closer, however, you hear the mumbling among the group grow quiet, replaced by a look of awed silence. Finally, the woman whose cries kept you up last night steps forward, breaking the silence with, "What of Abene? Did you find her? Is she..." Even in the fading light, you can see the barely-withheld tears shimmering in her eyes.
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Post by DM-Delfon on Nov 27, 2012 11:41:06 GMT -5
Xanadu takes the woman's hands as he says, "Based on what I managed to learn from these three." He gestures over his shoulder toward Fireheart, and by extension the Wyvern parts, "Abene may yet live, but please do not get your hopes up. She was taken by the Wyvern's alive into the mountains to the East. She was being delivered to a Red Dragon by the name of Kalfyra." He holds up a hand to silence any noise from the onlookers, "I will tend to the wounds I sustained today, and set out after Kalfyra as soon as I am able." Xanadu raises his voice to be heard by all, "While I mend, I require information. If anyone has solid information about Kalfyra. If anyone has heard a story or rumor about Kalfyra or any other Red dragon. If anyone can provide me with maps of the Eastern mountains. I've learned recently that research can be the key to victory. Bring me every scrap of knowledge you can find."
Xanadu waits for questions or comments before seeking out the various people who would be interested in his trophies. Any questions about the battle are met with, "I just did what needed to be done." Any thanks are met with simple nods. If the farmers wife needs comfort, Xanadu wraps an arm around her and leads her home, carrying her if need be. Once everything is settled, Xanadu spends an extra long time brushing down Fireheart, "You were named well my friend, not many horses can say they have kicked a Dragon in the mouth. You are just as much a Dragon Slayer as I am."
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