[DnD] D&D Arena: The Tale of the Piano Duo, Ebony and Ivory

The old man gathered up the gold in their communal purse, tossed the thieves kit to his partner and left the remains for the creatures of the forest. Hopping back onto the cart and helping up the young kobold, he nudged the reins, sending his tame wolf off in a gentle, restful amble through the woods, taking the most open route available.

He was largely unconcerned by the note. Clearly someone wanted the two of them dead and from the length of the description, whoever it was had pretty up to date information. Ivory had spent his life battling the forces of evil (Although strangely he had learnt as much about fighting in the last day as he previously had in ten years) and had a string of "Arch-enemies" and "Ultimate nemeses", most of whom were pathetic minor demons or disgruntled necromancers.

Ivory lay back on the cart and started to doze off, confident that whoever was behind these latest attempts on his life would reveal themselves once they ran out of cronies, they always did.

And he was still two days from retirement.

Mount up, surge up to full health, wolf uses it's surge, head somewhere nice and open so this time we won't start the fight already in melee range >=(

FELIPE NO

Can't believe Ivory forgot to take the brooch. Sounded like something he'd want, too. Oh well, I can hawk it if nothing else.

Surge to full, pocket brooch, chill with ivory

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5 Dice Rolls Initiative - Dessert

The kleptomanic kobold pockets the halfling's tools of the trade, and carelessly tosses his brooch inside his pack. Who needs that tiny +1 bonus to Fortitude, Reflex, or Will that comes with equipping it on your neck? Certainly not Ebony, the most macho kobold who ever lived.

Unlike the previous day, no other foe was in sight - the prowler apparently chose his ambush location well.

Guiding the massive wolf towards more open spaces, the pair soon escapes from the forest canopy. The tree line rapidly thins, as the forest gives way to the numerous hilly caves strewn about the area.

Just as the old werewolf lets his guard down, the cart lurches to a stop. Immediately springing to his feet, Ivory frantically looks around for signs of attack. He only sees the dire wolf sitting on the ground, growling at what appears to be thin air.

Suddenly, the 'air' solidifies into a massive fist, and slams the wolf away. Vibration from the impact dispels the stealthy camouflage employed by the creature, and the pair could only stare at the biggest gelatinous cube they have ever seen.

Slam - +11 vs Fortitude - against Wolf. Wolf takes 9 damage and is immobilized (save ends).

The huge ooze surprisingly leaves the immobilized wolf alone - apparently it is too big to digest. Drawn by the pair's frantic scramble to their feet, it lunges towards more agreeable prey.

Defenses: AC 21, Fort 21, Ref 19, Will 18

Ivory, Ebony, Massive Gelatinous Cube

Ebony will be using a minor to equip the brooch. That leaves you with a standard and move action, lurks.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Hey. I ain't a pussy. I don't wear girly artifacts.

wait until Ivory's back is turned, and then hurriedly put on brooch, tucking it under my fly jersey

That done, I suggest we take a path around the cube. I mean, it's not like cubes are in on bounties and shit. They just sit there, wiggling away, waiting for the jello factories, right?

There's nowhere I can't reach.

1 Die Roll Hit

The old wolf cursed his luck at moving to a spot where he could see enemies coming only to get attacked by a blob with a cloaking device.

Scrambling backwards away from the oozy thing, he grabbed a molotov and tossed it at the beast, more to slow it down while the wolf got it's legs back than from any real desire to fight the thing.

Shift north, draw an elixir of dragonfire tar, chuck it at the blob

Hit! Blaze up the batty-man! Blob takes 5 ongoing damage

How ya doing, buddy?

I ain't exactly sure what that is, but I ain't ready to run headlong into it. So...

Hunter's Quarry on Blob
Throw and Stab on Blob
stay on the chariot for now

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9 Dice Rolls Old Man punch

The cube wobbles at first as the flask containing dragonfire tar shatters against a shard of bone inside it. Then, a spark bursts forth, and seemingly devouring the curious monster from the inside-out. Something's feeding the conflagration - is it possible that acid which composes the gelatinous cube is easily combusted?

15 fire damage to cube.

The ranger wracks his memories for any information he might know about a gelatinous cube. What he remembers isn't encouraging.

Nature 10 (Lore)
Ten-by-ten feet gelatinous cubes are usually found slowly patrolling in caves and underground dungeons. In fact, its size is usually perfectly adapted to a standard dungeon corridor. What's this beast doing outdoors?

Nature 15 (Resistances and attributes)
The brutish gelatinous cube is composed entirely of acid, and can resist digestive enzymes. The slow lumbering cube is supposedly blind, and relies entirely on ground vibrations to find its prey. Too bad kobolds can't fly.

Nature 20 (Attacks)
Gelatinous cubes immobilize adjacent unwary victims with Slam, and then engulf immobilized creatures to digest at their leisure. Nobody has told him what happens to creatures that get pulled into the ooze. Or more likely, no one's survived to tell the tale. But the bits of undigested detritus swirling inside the cube gives him a pretty good idea what to expect.

Nature 25 (Ability scores and traits)
Nature 30 (The entire monster card)
Nature 35 (Combat strategies)

Well, ranged attacks it is, the kobold decides. He winds up for his savage hand axe throw. completely forgetting he's right next to it. Sensing his movement through the ground, the blind ooze attempts to interrupt Ebony's attack. The ranger handily dodges the creature's attack of opportunity, but his point blank attack merely glances off the cube's smooth 'skin'.

Launching himself into a move, Ebony looks for some other creature to stab, moving all the way to the chariot's back. Alas, the cube is the only opponent in sight. Oh well, maybe next time, cube!

Its meal prospects appear to have moved back. The cube follows after Ivory's careful footsteps, and forms a rather large fist to sock him in the jaw. Sensing danger to its master, the dire wolf reacts to the cube's movement with a bite. The wolf quickly realizes that gelatinous cubes are not tasty, and quickly spits out a chunk of goo from its mouth.

The huge fist dissolves back into the cube, thanks to vibrations from the opportunity bite. Still, the cube's move releases much-needed adenosine triphosphate that quenches the dragonfire tar that was hithereto burning the ooze alive.

Wolf is still immobilized.
Cube's Opportunity Attack against Throw and Stab: Miss.
Throw and Stab: Miss.
Cube moves to A6:B7 and takes opportunity attacks from wolf and Ivory (damn).
Wolf's Opportunity Attack: hit for 7 damage.
Ivory's Opportunity Cripple Punch: miss.
Slam against Ivory: Miss.
Cube saves vs. ongoing fire.

Ivory, Ebony, Massive Gelatinous Cube

I was speaking idiomatically.

1 Die Roll Hit

Ivory took a cautious step back away from the blob. Clearly setting fire to the thing was the way forward but he was wary of setting fire to his new chariot in the process. For the time being, he contented himself hurling insults at the big lump of goo, offering up a quick prayer for luck first.

Shift southwest, divine fortune, exacting utterance on cube

Hit! Blob has vulnerability 5 to all damage until the end of my next turn, if ebony attacks it he gains 5 temp hp

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I hop out of the chariot and stand next to the wolf. I ain't exactly sure if I'm ready to waste a perfectly good fire item; maybe chucking shit will be good enough?

Move to E5, avoiding the cube
Throw and Stab the cube
I get a move action after that, right? If so, move me to F3

FELIPE NO

5 Dice Rolls Wolf mobile?

Ebony nimbly dances around the chariot, throwing his axe at the cube and quickly darting away.

Cube sustains 16 damage
Ebony gains 5 temp HP

Although gelatinous cubes have technically no emotion, being brainless and all, this one seems awfully frustrated with its quarry being out of reach. Or maybe it was hurt by Ivory's insults. Who knows?

Wagon Stats: HP 40 AC 4 Fort 12 Ref 4 Will [immune]
Wagon sustains 12 HP damage. It creaks.

Ivory, Ebony, Massive Gelatinous Cube

Terrain Considerations:
People taller than kobolds consider the wagon yoke (D4:E5) difficult terrain.
If wagon reaches 0 HP, it becomes immovable, flipping over and turning into impassable terrain. It blocks line of sight entirely (so no melee or ranged attacks).
Woe betide anyone crushed by it, for its fortitude makes it a very formidable foe.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

1 Die Roll Hit

Whilst it was a nice enough wagon, Ivory had no qualms about using it as a distraction while he topped up his chim's reserves of energy.

Shift north, Astral Seal on blob

How ya doing, buddy?

keep on Chuckin' 'n Not Stabbin' at the blob

There's nowhere I can't reach.

6 Dice Rolls *Cart damage

The old wolfman turns his trademark gaze upon the ooze, yet it scarcely noticed him. Perhaps blind monsters don't care if they're stared at?

Wolf still immobilized.
Throw and Stab hits for 6 damage. At this rate, it'll take over two dozen more hits to kill it!

The cube slams the bulk of its mass against the wagon. The vehicle takes the 8 damage stoically, but lists just a little bit from the cube.

Wagon takes 8 damage and is bloodied, to the extent that a wagon can bleed.

Ivory, Ebony, Massive Gelatinous Cube

The only map change is that Ivory is now at A4.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

1 Die Roll Hit

Ivory hopped off the wagon, circling the blob to try and distract it a bit before trying another sealing manouver.

Move to A7, Astral Seal again

Hit! Blob has -2 to all defences until the end of my next turn. When Ebony attacks it he regains 7hp

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

If this is gonna take so much time, I might as well get a beer.

Move to H6
pull out Fire Elixir of Dragonbreath
Drink that mofo
Action Point Fire Breathin' on the Blob

I was speaking idiomatically.

4 Dice Rolls Can wolf move?

Actually Astral Seal lets Ebony regain 4, not 7 hp. But it doesn't matter since Ebony is not injured.
Also lurks, Fire Elixirs have a range of 3, so I'm moving you to G6 so you can hit the cube.

Wolf is no longer immobilized.

Bored by the fight that they could easily win by kiting the lumbering cube, Ebony imbibes the elixir of dragonbreath. The results are, of course, predictable. Curiously weakened by Ivory's astral light, the cube suffers considerable fire damage.

33 damage to gelatinous cube.

Finally able to 'see' its quarry again, the cube lumbers towards the closest tremor. The shifter is caught unaware, and is dragged inside the cube to be digested. Perhaps it's not Ebony's healing surges he needs to be worrying about?

Engulf: 11 vs Reflex. Auto-hit on immobilized creatures.
Ivory is grabbed. Until the grab ends (Escape: Move Action. Athletics vs Fortitude or Acrobatics vs Reflex), take 11 ongoing acid damage and be dazed (take only 1 standard/move/minor action during your turn unless you spend an action point) and immobilized. When grab ends, shift to 1 square of your choosing adjacent to the cube.

Ivory, Ebony, Massive Gelatinous Cube

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

1 Die Roll Escape

The cube, acting against all it's natural instincts moved away from the source of heat and vibration and engulfed the shifter who was stood head bowed in silent prayer. Not expecting such a biologically implausible move from the blob the old man was caught unawares and engulfed. He thrashed around a bit, trying to get out.

Try and escape, use which ever skill is more likely to pass

Success, shift to D8.

FELIPE NO

:BELCH:

Fire breathin'

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

7 Dice Rolls *Ow

Ivory manages to wriggle himself free, though not before sustaining some damage from the cube's digestive juices.

11 acid damage to Ivory.
Save succeeds; no longer grabbed and dazed.

Ebony inches closer for another round of flame breath. Forced to choose between burning his friend or his all-too-(in)flammable ride, the inebriated ranger reluctantly chooses to sacrifice the latter. He's going to need the old man's soothing hands to heal him, after all.

Gelatinous Cube takes 39 fire damage.
Wagon takes 7 fire damage and gains 10 fire vulnerability. 13 HP left.

The cube instinctively lumbers closer to the kobold's footsteps, allowing Ivory to punch it in the cell wall. He misses entirely; the shifter's fists rebound off the tough exoplasm and hits him in the nose.

Barely noticing the punch at all, the cube launches a full frontal assault at the little ranger.

Ebony takes 7 damage and is immobilized until save ends.

Ivory, Ebony, Massive Gelatinous Cube

Note: Tokens awarded to date
Ivory: +1 token, 4x
Ebony: +1 token,1x

Jam it back in, in the dark.

1 Die Roll Hit

Not wanting to risk standing next to the blob any longer than need be, Ivory ducked back out of range before fishing around in his sack for another molotov and casualy chucking it at the cube.

Shift NE, draw Dragonfire tar, chuck Dragonfire tar

11 vs Reflex to hit

Hit! Blob takes all kinds of ongoing fire damage

There's nowhere I can't reach.

"Sorry about the chariot, old man! I'd move if I could!"

More fire belchin'

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

6 Dice Rolls No more fire pliss?

With a whoomph, the dragonfire tar disappears into the gelatinous cube, and immediately sets it on fire.

15 ongoing fire damage to Cube.

The kobold hiccups another blast of fiery whisky breath. It had a beneficial side effect of stirring him from his cube-induced stupor. Fortunately for the wagon, Ivory shifting away allowed the kobold to angle his blast to his right.

Lurks, till now, I've been interpreting the close attacks in your favor. Please specify the area of effect next time.
51 damage to Cube. Bloodied.
Ebony saves from Immobilized.

Thrashing about wildly now, the gelatinous cube inches over to Ivory's proximity, and attempts to engulf both allies.

15 fire damage to Cube.
Engulf succeeds! Ebony and Ivory pulled into cube space. 11 ongoing acid damage, dazed, grabbed.
Cube saves vs. ongoing fire. Man, these were awesome rolls.

Ivory (5 tokens), Ebony (4), Massive Gelatinous Cube

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

1 Die Roll Escape

Engulfed again, the old man once more struggles to free himself.

Try to escape again, if successful, shift east

I was speaking idiomatically.

can I burn the cube without burning myself or ivory? if so, burn that mofo
try to escape; if successful, shift to f6

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3 Dice Rolls Engulf dat Kobold

The pair struggle to be freed from the tyranny of the gelatinous mass. Will they succeed?

Yes.

But most unfortunately, the cube plucks the adjacent creatures right back in. It could do this all day.

11 acid damage to both Ebony and Ivory
No map changes.

Ivory (6 tokens), Ebony (4), Massive Gelatinous Cube

FELIPE NO