7.17.2012

PLAY-BY-POST: Match 11 Round 1 VAULT OF THE SPIDER QUEEN


Welcome to the dark recesses of the Underdark! Deep within the bowels of the earth, the Vault of the Spider Queen houses the infamous artifact, the Egg of Lolth. It's ebon surface pulses with the abyssal energies of the Demon Queen of Spiders, corrupting the minds of anyone foolish enough to draw near. Who among you is bold enough to seize this powerful relic? More importantly, who has the strength to hold onto the fragile ovum of power?


The dungeoneers have assembled to do battle, fighting over this cursed object of hatred and unmitigated malice. (Initiative results in parentheses)


Coming from the surface world are the sparkling princesses of the realm. They are:
(4) Ariel - A watersoul genasi maiden, clad in delicate robes, wielding a staff of coral in one hand.
(11) Aurora - An Eladrin warrior-princess, wearing golden chain armor, a longbow of yew and horn at the ready.
(13) Mulan - The spectre of a human (revenant) girl, come back from the spirit world to finish this task on earth. Her remains are clad as she was in life; armor of bison hide, feathered longbow, and her avian companion, Zephyr, soaring overhead.
(22) Tinkerbell - The delicate pixie matron of the feywild has put down her instruments of whimsy for instruments of battle; bearing leather armor and a shortsword.


Coming from the darkened recesses of nightmares are the spider-killers. They are:
(1) Mysterio - A mad super genius with access to unlimited resources (Deva), Mysterio majestically strides into battle with flowing, caped robes and a glittering staff.
(9) Venom - A dual-lifeform symbiote of blackened ichor that has covered the body of a forgotten Dwarven miner (revenant dwarf), it bears fine Dwarven steel links (chainmail) and tortures its victims with the scourge and rod in its hands.
(17) Green Goblin - Watch out for pumpkins as this green-skinned half-orc double-fist-chucks exploding pumpkins (longbow). He protects his health and his modesty with a stylish, skin-tight purple leotard (hide armor).
(22) Carnage - A red-ichor symbiote similar to Venom, this hideous creature has been tainted with the chaos-energy of the feywild (pixie), barreling into danger with no regard for the safety of anyone, itself included. It bears a bandolier of daggers across its leather-clad chest, and has a wand in its left hand at the ready.

LET THE DEATHMATCH BEGIN!!!

27 comments:

  1. Let the chaos begin! Mysterio respawns with a (2)!

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  2. With a fog effect worthy of Micheal Bay, Mysterio appears in the Vault, fishbowl and all. Seeing no whining princesses around, he leaps from the floating rock and moves towards the glowing spider symbol. "Time to get to work, before that pesky spider-man foils my plot once again! This time, its my web he will be caught in!"

    Tech:
    Double to move leap from the rock, G14->H15->H17 then on to the power up in M17; +0 to athletics on the jump, running start from the 2 sq of movement beforehand. If I gain bat wings, finish movement upwards in M17 (should have 4 sq left). If I gain spider climb, climb up 3 sq in N16. Anything else, I will just stay planted in M17. Use minor action to activate Wizard's fury. Free action, I attack the darkness. Its a wonderful show, but no ones comes to see it!

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    1. The great Mysterio casts a shimmering protective field around himself and gains (5) Spell Resistance! (+5 to all saving throws)

      Ariel spawns into the match on Mysterio's heels at Location (2), trident at the ready, looking to make first blood!

      Delete
  3. Fluff:
    Ariel spots Mysterio lurking in the shadows, his eyes ablaze with a Wizard's Fury. "Hey, that's a neat trick. Too bad you're not a daughter of Poisiden..." Her eyes turn to fire just like Mysterio's just before she takes a running leap across the chasm. As soon as she lands, she turns into a splash of water, and reappears for a moment just beyond the tangled mass of spider webs before she is cloaked in darkness.


    Tech:
    Free: Taunt Mysterio
    Minor: Set up Wizard's fury
    Move: G14>h14>h15 (jump over h16, +4 athletics) >h17 (5 squares)
    Standard (move): Swiftcurrent power, move G17 through C17, and end in the red spider. I choose Child Of The Night (total concealment)

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    1. I may have gotten my square references wrong, but my square count is correct. #17 looks like it's straddling two columns.

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  4. Some how wizard-on-wizard action going on in here! It's actually pretty amazing to see all the similarities in the builds of both teams, especially considering how widely everyone's characters are varied from each other within their own team.

    Ariel auto-succeeds at the jump, but I am retcon'ing just a touch to check on Mysterio ...

    Athletics Check: (11)+0; SUCCESS!

    I see now where the confusion was coming; my map wasn't aligning with the columns. Hopefully this next update will make it clearer. In any case! Ariel can easily spent her swiftcurrent racial power, oh ye daughter of the gods, to end on Square B19 and claim her prize: Child of the Night.

    Venom respawns at Location (1), eyes set due east to the watery princess.

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  5. A roiling mass of black tentacles and teeth comes to existence in the northwest corner of the shadowy chamber. As the hulking, humanoid form of Venom coalesces and a gaping, tooth-filled maw opens into a horrifying grin.

    "Ah, a water witch. Most excellent! Soon she shall feel the full wrath of Venom! Those who aren't against the Spider are against us!"

    Hurling himself forward on tendrils of night, the gruesome Spider-killer surges forward before coming to a halting stop and lobbing a blackened ball of his own symbiotic ooze towards the corner where it explodes into a blackened web of lashing tendrils and grasping pseudeopods.

    "Poor unfortunate soul. Heh."

    TECH:

    move action: move through green spider to B11

    standard action: WEB OF SHADOWS (appropriate, no?) centered on red spider, +5 vs Reflex, Hit: 2d6+8 necrotic damage and target is immobilized (save ends). Miss: Half damage and target is slowed (save ends). Effect: the burst creates a zone that lasts until the end of the encounter. Any creature that willingly enters the zone is immobilized until the end of its next turn.
    As an aside, I would like this burst to be centered 1 square up so that it reaches 1 square down and up as well. If that isn't doable, then it can settle on the ground like a blanket of terror.

    readied free action: Convocation of Shadows I'd like to assume this readied free action for rest of encounter. Trigger: I drop an enemy to 0 hp or less or an enemy adjacent to me drops to 0 hp or less. I gain phasing and insubstantial until the end of my next turn.

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    1. If the attack roll hits Reflex of 15-17, I'd like to use my Staff of Defense power, which boosts my defenses by 3. Otherwise, I'll let it hit/miss as normal.

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    2. Well done on the Little Mermaid reference, btw. Made me smile. *golf clap*

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    3. @Benoit: Cool, I'll keep that in mind as a general rule-of-thumb unless you tell me otherwise.

      Venom keeps the spider-theme going by gaining power-up (2): Spider Climb!

      Web of Shadows: (15)+5 vs. Reflex 15; HIT! Staff of Defense can't get you outta this mess!
      for (4)+(2)+8 = 14 necrotic damage and immobilized!

      Aurora makes her debut on the ever-popular Location (2)!

      Delete
    4. Thanks. It's an Encounter power, so if you'd prefer I can track its usage and remind you if need be. I'm allowed to use it even after the DM declares the damage, so that shouldn't be a problem.

      Delete
  6. What was this cave? Briar Rose had been happily strolling through the forest, dreaming about the handsome man she'd just me that she was going to have to tell her aunts all about, when suddenly she found herself in a dark cave. And who were these men? So strange... Especially that black-clad one. Better do something about it!

    [TECH]

    Standard: Cutting Words on Venom, +4 vs Will. On hit, 1d8+4 and I attempt to pull him into the pit.

    Move: Fey Step to C19. I should be able to just see it from my position, I can draw an unbroken line from a corner of my square to a corner of that square.

    Minor: Majestic Word on Ariel, Surge + 4 HP and slide her to B18.

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    1. Cutting Words: (5)+4 vs. Will 16; MISS!

      Fey Step: Out of the corner of her eye, Aurora catches a glimpse of bare ground, right beside beloved Ariel. She magically appears in that space, but is also caught up by Venom's webs!

      Majestic Word: Ariel gains [4]+7 hp, almost entirely healed!

      MULAN now enters this blighted cave of the Underdark at Location (4), her zephyr companion appearing next to her (in an adjacent square of her choice). Mysterio cares not for her intruding presence!

      Delete
  7. Mulan appears, bewildered. She should be dead now, the Huns saw to that. She does not remember much of what happened, but she does remember an ambush in a mountain pass an a sky full of arrows. Maybe this is her hell? If it is, then so be it- she will slay her tormentors, crawl her way out of this pit, find Shan Yu, and exact her revenge. She notices Mushu has followed her, but down here he is large, and can fly.
    But wait, what is this? Princesses? Surely these must be kindred spirits. Ah, this then is the hell for pretty princesses.

    [TECH]
    (Mushu appears in the square directly above her head)
    Minor: I activate Skirmishing Stance
    Move: I move 4 squares up to G17. Mushu flies over to G17, directly over my head.
    Standard: Mulan draws two of the Hun arrows that riddle her body, knocks them, and fires both at that mysterious figure in green (Mysterio). Two-Fanged Strike; two attacks, +7 vs AC. On a hit 1d10+5, and the first attack deals 1d8 extra damage.

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    1. (9) and (7) +7 vs. AC 15; HIT and MISS !!!
      for (10)+(8)+5 = 23 damage!

      The GHETTO CRIT!!! drops Mysterio out into unconsciousness, a bone-tipped arrow cracking his glass dome! Mysterio, however, has all manner of traps and contingencies planned, sending a thunderous wave of Stormhawk's Vengeance back at his attacker for 10 thunder damage!

      The Green Goblin flies into view at Location (3). Watch out for pumpkins!

      Delete
  8. Fluff:
    The Green Goblin appears in a puff of smoke. “Hey, I thought that guy in a mushroom hat said, ‘The princess was in a different castle.’ And Spiderman must be around with all of these damn webs. As I always say, if you want to get a spider to come out, drop a girl fifty stories.” The Goblin runs to the north and hurls a pumpkin at Mulan causing an explosion that will hopefully make her loose her footing.

    Tech:
    Move: move to F4 and grab a goodie.

    Minor: Hunter’s Quarry on Mulan.

    Standard: Cleaver Shot against Mulan. +7 vs. AC. On a hit I use Furious Assault and Hunter’s Quarry so I do 2d10+1d6+5 damage and slide Mulan 2 square right over the edge (she gets a save, but if she makes it she falls prone).

    Free: Complain that the princess team forgot about Merida… best Disney princess ever and actually an archer.

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    Replies
    1. In the unlikely event I pick up Lolth's Sting, I don't use Furious Assault (that would be just too much overkill).

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    2. Power-Up: (2) Spider Climb

      Clever Shot: (1) HUMILIATION!!!
      The dice have clearly been favoring Team Princess here and The Green Goblin is knocked off his hoverboard and onto his ass!

      The red Spider-Killers are already down to their last man of the round with Carnage snapping at all around him, spawning at Location (2)!

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    3. Merida is, unfortunately, not part of the Disney Princess line. She is a Disney princess, but not a Disney Princess.

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    4. Just wait until Christmas and she'll be inducted into the ranks.

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  9. Tinkerbell isn't part of the line either.

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  10. Carnage awakens with only vengeance on his mind. "Vengeance to the spider who removed us from our host and forced us into this puny form!" His one track mindset even allows him to temporarily ally with Venom, the mother symbiote. "All that stands in our way are these pitiful princesses. They too shall know Carnage."

    Tech:

    Move: Pixie Dust on Venom. He flies to B17 (Spider Climb ignores the webs).

    Standard: Crown of Stars vs Aurora
    +6 vs Ref
    Hit: 2d12+5 radiant damage. If target is bloodied, it is blinded until the end of my next turn.
    Sustain Minor: Make a Charisma vs. Will attack against any target in range. On a hit, deal 5 radiant damage.

    If this drops Aurora
    Use Shadow Warp to slide Mulan into the pit.

    Action Point: Fly to M17.

    Minor: Majestic Word on Mysterio
    Heal him surge +5 and slide to M18. (this should get me a power up).

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    1. The painful Crown of Stars is placed upon Aurora's head, jagged radiant points searing her scalp. After what happened a few weeks ago, I would have suspected that Brendan was all done with crowns, but I digress.
      (16)+6 vs. Reflex 13; HIT!
      for (3)+(4)+5 = 12 radiant damage!

      Mysterio heals 5+5 hp; still bloodied, but just barely, and rolls out of the way as carnage leaps across the yawning black pit to land feet down into the rock, picking up Blessing (7): Evasion

      A streak of light shoots out from the darkened crevasses of the Underdark as Tinkerbell makes her first appearance at Location (1), finishing out the round with a full house!

      Delete
  11. Tinkerbell looks around in wonder at the cave. Was this some trick by Hook? Spotting a shiny object nearby, she flies over to examine the strange egg. Carrying it carefully in one hand, she spots what appears to be another fairy not far away. However, she quickly notices that this fairy has been corrupted by an unspeakable evil. Drawing her sword, she quickly charges at it, striking out at its ally as well.

    Tech:

    Move to G12

    Minor to pick up the egg

    Standard: Charge to L17 w/Backstab against Carnage
    +14 vs AC
    4d6+7 damage

    Action Point: MBA against Mysterio
    +10 vs AC
    1d6+7 damage

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    Replies
    1. Hell of a fast round guys, the Dungeon Master appreciates it!

      Charge!: (7)+14 ... four ... teen ... vs. an AC of equal number; HIT!
      for (5)+(4)+(4)+(1)+7 = 21 damage!
      Oh, that's gotta hurt! Carnage is bloodied!

      YOU HAVE LOST THE LEAD!!!

      Pixie-headchop-vs.-prone: (20) CRITICAL HIT!!!
      for (6)+7 damage! The risk of carrying a vulnerable 5 all purple egg is paying off, as this drops Mysterio unconscious, earning Team Spider-Killers their first death and setting up for a quick second death. That egg and Mysterio's SHV kick in to bloody Tinkerbell right the hell back!

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  12. THUS ENDS ANOTHER EXCITING ROUND OF FOURTHCORE TEAM DEATHMATCH!!!

    Team Princess has pulled ahead, but the Spider-Killers are looking to send them hurtling into the abyss below in no time.

    FOLLOW THE CARNAGE, LITERALLY, IN THE NEXT ROUND: http://www.fourthcoreteamdeathmatch.com/2012/07/play-by-post-match-11-round-02-vault-of.html

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