Playing in the Sandbox

Tordek stuck as close to the wagons as possible, keeping his eyes open for any threats. After being distracted for so long back at the caravan house, he made himself a promise not to screw up now that there was a much greater chance for danger.

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Perception: 1d20 (15) + 11 = 26

Alma was... tired. She hadn't slept last night. She had hoped there would be room to ride on the wagons, but if nothing else she was content to just walk next to them, quietly, until they got to the next city. Her relief at finally leaving managed to balance out her nagging despair, so all that was left was tired. She barely heard when Smithe asked her to scout ahead. "Oh... yes..." Just a few steps ahead. She could do this. Walking out ahead of the caravan, she shoots a small glance toward Skaimos, then looks back to the sand.

A few yards out, and she begins to feel much more relaxed. Despite the dangers of the desert, she knew it as well as any court or marketplace. The sand swirled around her feet, and she felt herself reach out to the desert, the primal spirit of nature.

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Desertwise: 10+11+5= 26
Perception: 16+8= 24

Cytanthus mostly didn't do much, but just kept as sharp an eye out for anything to be worried about as she could.

Perception check:

Skaimos was surprisingly relaxed. His main concern had been right before they had left the city limits. He had been afraid that the caravan would be searched, or that Thag would figure things out, or that Uhiya would decide to turn him in (or try to blackmail him). But then...nothing. They had gotten out of the city, Thag was none the wiser, and Uhiya had apparently decided either that she wouldn't betray her new "fellow guards" or that she simply didn't care. Short of someone coming after them, they were safe.

Safe, however, was a relative term. Assuming Daimyo Togaru intended to carry out his threat, his family was currently in danger of being lowered in caste. His main hope was to get to Hanko, and use his "reward" to see if Daimyo Sa'Hak-cho could convince Togaru to reverse his position, or give his family santuary in Hanko, or...something. It may produce no net "profit", but getting out of the hole he was currently in would suit Skaimos just fine.

Speaking of the illusion of safety, Skaimos looked around to see if there were any threats nearby.

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Rolling for Perception...4 (1d20) + 7 (Per) = 11.

Tethe walked alongside one of the reptiles pulling the wagons. Looking around for anything that looked dangerous as she absentmindedly twirled a little twig she'd found before leaving between her claws.

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Perception:

Alma leads the wagons along a pretty good route and no natural problems occur.

A couple hours later Tordek spots what he's pretty sure something alive burrowed under the sand ahead trying to camouflage itself with the sand. Alma, fairly tired by this point, and Tethe sense that something is off but, they can't put their fingers on what exactly.

"My friends," said Tordek. "I see something. Under the sand."

"Where?" The Pixie asked getting ready a fireball, assuming the worst.

At the sight of the fireball, several figures jump out of the sand. A beat later more leap out of the sand behind the caravan (off to one side). You can see the glint of steel in some of their hands and they're clearly men, though they're still covered in sand and some kind of illusion to blend in. Suddenly they are firing crossbows, catching the caravan in a crossfire. Thag and Uhiya rush the group behind the caravan as John and his men grab crossbows or bows of their own and Mykaila scurries farther into one of the wagons. Cyrta throws her fireball and nails one of the crossbowmen who screams and falls to the ground.

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Alma has a moment to act here. She can either rush back towards the party (who I'm going to assume are rushing over to help her though, feel free to say otherwise) and not get caught in the first round of combat alone or do something else.

So yeah, everyone roll Initiative and tell me if you want to do something aside from moving (it will be moving or something else, not both).

The Pixie just is getting a mental headcount of the enemy as she enters the fray...

Combat Info:

Tethe shrugged her shield and spear off her back and into her hands as charged charged forward to join Alma, failing to contain a big smile at the thought of having some fun.

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initiative and moves:

Alma takes the ambush in stride. Back in the city, it would have meant the audible snap of her last nerve breaking. But this wasn't unexpected out here- out here in the Desert, where everything was right and fair. If she hadn't been put under so much stress recently, she might even have smiled when she faced the attackers. A heartbeat passes, before she turns on her heel and runs back toward the caravan, and her allies. Without them it would be a quick fight.

Spoiler:

Tordek draws his axe and rushes to defend Alma - she's had a rough enough time already. This time, however, Tordek can do something about it.

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Combat:

Skaimos ran towards Alma. He would NOT let her go into harm's way alone again.

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Combat:

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Ramsus, I'm assuming that Uhiya Bastos is the "Namehere" that's fighting with Thag, correct?

The bandits chased Alma and as soon as they got close enough to the group the crossbowmen stopped while the others, except for one with a staff, continued to charge forward. There were four charging forward, three with swords and one with a maul, who was dressed in surprisingly little.

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Initiative

*Cyrta
Human Crossbowman
Mul Thug
*Tethe
Sandsoul Genasi Sand Mage
Half-Orc Thug
Dwarf Thug
Halfling Crossbowman
*Alma
Dragonborn Barbarian
Shifter Crossbowman
*Tordek
*Skaimos
Half-elf Crossbowman

Adjacency list
Group 1

Spoiler:

Group 2

Spoiler:

Cyrtanthus was a bit overwelmed at the number of enemies they were up angast... She wasn't sure which to target first... But eventually she picked at random to attack the Sandsoul Genasi Sand Mage, figuring that he'd be able to hinder her allies' skills somehow...

combat talent:

stats:

The Human Crossbowman fires a bolt at Skaimos and then reloads his crossbow (the reloading is a minor action), meanwhile the Dwarf Thug rushes Tordek and knocks him back.

---

Skaimos takes 2 damage.
Tordek takes 1 damage and is Dazed until the end of his next turn.

Edit: DB & 7/9, if you're not gonna use Slashback/Punishing Blow, mention it in the OOC so we know when the next person can go.

Since apparently I'm capable of destroying the Dwarf/Mul/whatever, a Mul's half dwarf anyway...

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As the Mul thug approaches, Tordek pulls back his axe and hurls a mighty blow at the brute - he may not be the best fighter around, but he knows that charging directly at someone with a big axe is a bad idea.

---

Slashback: 1d12 = 10 damage to Mul thug.

Tordek: 29 HP, 2 PiPs, Status: Dazed

And the axe takes the Mul's head clean off.

---

And thus Tordek doesn't take any damage or get dazed.

Tethe came to a stop alongside the others, looking the enemies over as they split into two groups. Her smiles grew wider as she brought her shield and spear to a ready position. Divine energy pulsing through the weapon.

combat stats:

A swirl of sand flies around the Genasi mage (minor action) and it points its staff at Tethe and sand swirls from up around her too, though it makes it very difficult for her to see.

Then the Half-Orc and the Dwarf rush Tordek and Tethe respectively.

And finally the Halfling takes a shot at Cyrta and reloads his crossbow (minor).

---

Tethe is Blinded (save ends) and takes 1 damage and is Dazed (unless she Slashback kills the Dwarf)

Tordek takes 1 damage and is Dazed (unless he Slashback kills this one too)

Cyrta takes 3 damage.

So, waiting on 7/9 and DB again and then it'll be Alma's turn.

Tethe blinks a little as sand fills her sight. She laughs loudly when the Dwarf rushes her. "What good is hiding yourselves like this if you then come right into my claws?" She braces herself and pushes back hard against the dwarf's strike with her shield, raising her spear above her head and bringing it down on the attacker while he's off balance, the energy pulsing through the spear discharging as it finds flesh in a flash of divine light.

combat stats:

With a flash the dwarf falls down dead.

---

And nope, you're not Dazed (and didn't take the 1 damage).

Tordek uses the momentum of his previous swing to let the axe fly at the charging half-orc.

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Slashback Again: 1d12 = 11 damage (so close!) to Half-Orc Thug
Tordek: (30?) HP, 0 PiPs, Status: (Dazed?)

The axe smashes down right into the Half-Orc's skull and Tordek has to take a bit to pry it out of the corpse.

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Canceled the attack again, so no damage or dazed.

Edit: So Alma's turn now.