CONALL
"Well met Sir Conall Glendower of the House of Glendower I am Sir Palión DeBeucamp Noble by birth, Hunter by choice, highwayman by desperation. I truly dislike having to rob you, but I need to pay these men to continue to hunt the creature that destroyed my home. So if you are healed let us begin."
With that the armored Knight raised his axe to attack but was stopped as the earth below the two began to shake. With each passing minute the shaking grew until the area around all 9 men was shaking as that of a minor earthquake. All trying to keep on their feet and some failing, though Conall and Sir Palión were able to do so. With a awkward bow to Conall, DeBeucamp did yell

""Our fight will have to wait Sir Conall for that which I have hunted does approach."
THE PARTY
The party for the most part riding hard, yet not over doing it for the sake of their mounts, had made good time in trying to catch up to the Paladin Conall. With midday gone and a report by Ulthok, in the form of a hawk, that the Paladin was yet ahead of them and unharmed, they knew that by nightfall they would once again catch up to him, and answers to a few questions would be given.

As dusk came they found themselves only perhaps 15 minutes behind Conall, Ulthok once again in Halfling form back upon his pony, had determined such by the paladin’s pace of travel. As they crested a small hillock they caught their first glimpse of Conall in battle with a number of foes, but seemingly holding his own. Without a word by anyone they put heed to their horses and sped towards him ready to give aid, but here it was that the earth began to shake as in the start of an earthquake and Ulthok, Althena and Af’til were thrown from their mounts.

Then before all’s eyes, both friend and foe, a creature none had ever seen before burst from the earth to breathe a cloud of acid towards Conall and DeBeucamp.
With the monsters arrival on the surface the earthquake like tremors did stop and now all who had survived could see the creature well. Before the party and between them and Conall was a creature 100 foot long with the orange red body of a beetle with 10 black furred spider legs and the head and neck of a Black Dragon. It was this head that had spit the stream of acid towards the party around Conall. Here now clear to all was a foe more dangerous then the now dead henchmen of the Knight DeBeucamp.....


(OOC: ok guys round 1 for you all is a go. The 7 men with DeBeucamp failed their save vs. Breath Weapon and died, both DeBeucamp and you Conall saved, as such you only took half damage. Also Kyle all the items with you saved vs the acid this round. Well good luck as this creature is a tough one and has killed a few table top characters in its time.
Just for fun can anyone tell me what the creature is. The first one to get it right gains 1000xp (DA and Alasdair may not participate as they know what it is thanks to my big mouth ) Next post next Sunday or like normal when in combat, sooner if everyone posts before then.)

The enemy of my enemy is my ally

As the ground began to shake, the two noble warriors stopped and took pause. It was then the ground opened and the head of a black dragon emerged and spat upon them. Conall and Palion were able to jump out of the way to avoid the brunt of the breath weapon. The rest of Palion’s men were less fortunate. As that what was thought to be a black dragon pulled itself from the earth, Conall was taken back as the body of a great beetle came into view.

As if time stood still, “Sir DeBeucamp, your men are no more. Odin has sent me here this day for a reason. I will stand by your side and together we will kill this thing you have hunted. Noble by birth, Hunter by choice, Highwayman by desperation, and Conall will remove the cause for your desperation.” With that said Conall moved in to attack.

Cor had been considering how he’d skin Conall when he found him. Would it be a nice, easy, “Hey lad, you just can’t go doing that.” Or would it be a, “What in the name of Odin’s Bearded Balls were you thinking!?” Had Conall felt that his honor and his position within the Church was threatened, he should have come to Cor for advice. After all, wasn’t Cor the religious representative of Odin, and couldn’t Cor have given him absolution for whatever failure was perceived? That irked the dwarf almost as much as having to sit astride the horse. So, he’d spent their search of the errant paladin in deep thought, continually playing over the best approach when faced with the rash behavior of Sir Conall and then how best to answer the uppity response of Althena he’d left hanging in the stables.

Sure, she was older than he was. Sure, had she been a common woman with no ties to royalty and no greater call than to adventure, she’d certainly have every right to behave like a love struck teen, but she wasn’t a common woman and she did have ties to royalty, and her calling was certainly far greater than mere adventure. Would she listen to reason, or continue this ill-advised sojourn into a relationship that will more than likely cause more problems than good for the party and their quest? Would Alasdair be the better, and more level-headed, participant? Could Cor speak with him and explain the challenges such a relationship would present them and the Lady Althena in the future? Would it result in his withdrawal of his hasty proposal? Would it cause a rift to grow amongst the companions? Shaking his head Cor swore into his beard and suddenly realized that the others had stopped and that the ground was surging about beneath their startled and frightened horses.

“What in the blazes—“ The dwarf growled as he fought to stay in the saddle while he cast about for the reason the earth quaked. He was a dwarf. He understood the earth and how it reacted to things, and this quake was not typical. That’s when he saw the knight Conall in the valley below surrounded by men and the earth erupting at their feet. His eyes widened as the head of a black dragon pushed through the earth, acid flying from its mouth in a pain-filled rain. If Cor’s eyes had been wide before, they widened further when the rest of the beast’s body emerged.

“By the Eye of Odin,” he breathed, his hand falling to the saddlebag and fumbling with the pouch. In the valley, the men surrounding Conall had been reduced to one, and the two of them looked to be facing off against the beast like the fool-hearted brave knights of tale.

“Ride, friends! Lord Conall has found this beast and we look to be his only salvation!” That cry echoed from the hilltop as the dwarf found what he was looking for, producing a warhammer of common make. He put his heels into his horse’s flank and road awkwardly forward at top speed. When he was within one hundred yards, he rises up the best that he can in his saddle and flings the hammer towards the beast.

“Odin! Carry thy hammer true! Grant me thy power to defeat this vile creature!” As he yelled, the hammer shimmered, slowly becoming engulfed in a brilliant yellow energy that devoured the whole of the hammer, but retained its basic shape. Reigning in his horse, Cor Trollhammer will concentrate on controlling the Spiritual Hammer and attacking the beast with it.

On see the fiery beetle with a dragon head, I instantly cast puffball on my our charge toward the foreign creature.

Will add more when you answer my question for the Q&A

With the arrival of the monster with a dragon's head between them and Conall, Alasdair knew that this new creature must have been what the townsfolk in Fort Panzer had been talking about. With a quick shout to his companions, "Seems that Lord Conall does still breath. To aid him, we must all think and act wisely." With a look to everyone he then continued, "Those with magic stay back out of range, while those of us who are best suited for close combat move forward and into the fight. Lady Althena, since you have no current protector, I request that you stay back with those wielding magic and attempt to stay out of harms way."

Then with a grim determination he drew his sword and readied his shield. Then it registered to him, this thing before them might be able to be hurt by his Dragon Slayer sword given to him by the King. Resheathing his long sword, he quickly leaned to his right and drew the great bastard sword from its sheath on the saddle. With a quick salute, he spurred his horse forward, intent on using his horse's quickness and mobility to get him into the fight quickly.

Whatever anger or malcontent Magma had towards Conall vanished in the instant that the Dwarf saw the beast. Bless you! Bless your copper bottomed arse! A worthy opponent! Thank you for not killing it before we got here!
Magma gets ready his crossbow to take aim against the beast. He plans to flank the creature as best he can, to whatever side seems best.

With a cry of unbridled joy, Magma calls out “Get ye down Beastie!!!!!”

OOC Crossbow first, then throwing axe as I get closer then in with the battleaxe and shield. This is one happy dwarf!

After getting permission from Alasidair to go forward himself and look for Conall, Ulthok hands his ponies reins to their leader.Concentrating on the new form he wishes to take the little mage performs the needed actions and words and at once takes on the form of a hawk.he immeditally launchs himself forwards in his search for Conall.

After flying for a period of time his now shapened vision spots a figure in the distance diving down toward the figure to get a better view he does confirm it is his target Conall.Obeying the orders of his leader and not interacting or in any way getting involved with his quarry Ulthok the hawk at once turns and flies back to the party morphing back to his halfling form he gives Alasdair his report that Conall is within their reach if they continue to ride as they have.

Riding hard and at the back of the party he keeps up with the rest his usually active mind now rather blank of thought as he just wishes to catch up with his friend.Just as dusk is nearing the group tops a small rise in the road and at once spot their man, but he is not alone.It seems he has found himself a few dance partners and it looks like the dancing is about to begin. Spurring his pony on with a shout and a kick the halflings pony shoots forward however just as it does it seems that the very ground he is riding on comes alive and starts to shake violently.Try as he might Ulthok can’t keep his balance upon his pony and the halfling is thrown from his mount.

Luck for him he is very agile and he does a very neat body roll and comes up on his feet in time to see what had caused all that ground shaking.A large black neck and head pops through the ground and taking aim at Conall, the knight beside him, and his men the beast looses a deadly stream of acid.It seems that Conall and the man hext to him manage to escape most of the deadly acid but the other knights men where not so lucky and all of them just seem to dissolve away a nasty sight.As the beast is doing it’s spitting the rest of it’s body is raised from beneath the ground to stand full inbetween the party and Conall, and what a sight this beast makes.It stands at about 100 feet long with an orange-red body of a beetle it carries itself on ten furred black spider legs but it was the head that at the moment seemed most deadly it was the head and neck of a black dragon, and so it seems it also has the same deadly breath weapon as the black dragon as the 7 stinking dissolved bodies can testify to.

As he regains his footing from his aided dismount their leader is yelling out commands to his troops,"Those with magic stay back out of range, while those of us who are best suited for close combat move forward and into the fight. Lady Althena, since you have no current protector, I request that you stay back with those wielding magic and attempt to stay out of harms way."
So as everyone makes their deceisions as what to do next Ulthok is doing the same. Of course he would like to stay out of harms way, but he would also like to see this beast dispatched as quickly as possable, before it starts spitting again.So with one hand he pulls up the hood to his elven robe to make himself nearly invisable.

Gageing his distance from the beast to make sure he is within the needed 55 feet he begins the nessacery actions to cast his first spell.Formulating the words he will speak in his mind his hand slips into his spell pouch and brings out the small crystal he will need to activate his spell.With the words on the tip of his tounge and the material component in his hand Ulthok with his elven robe on to help hide him he stands full up facing the creature.Doing the intricate dance of magic the little mage starts moving in some very unnatural ways as he utters words that most would not understand”ginllac no eht sdog taht elur cigam, pleh siht egam ot tsac sih lleps dloc fo enoc” Then just as he finishes the spoken part he raises his hand and with the crystal points to his target if all works as it should a cone of extreme cold issuses forth from his hands about 15 feet wide and 55 foot long to strike the beast full on.

(DM'S NOTE: Dragonmist I went through and did a little edit to make your post more readable but did not change any of the words try not to use breaks as much it makes it hard for me to read.)

As Conall moved in to attack he gave up a call to Odin, “Odin, Father of Glory gives me strength to send the beast from once it came. Grant me victory today so that my friends may pass this way in safety. Allow Sir DeBeucamp to find his vengeance…” As Conall was moving in calling up to Odin he became very aware of the strong presence of Odin. It was then he saw the glow of Odin’s power.

Conall scanned the road to the south very quickly, as he glanced over the beast. There on the top of the hill he could see several riders and a few others in a charge (awkward as it may seem) but a charge none the less toward the beast. “DeBeucamp, Odin has given us strength in numbers!” Conall then continues toward the beast and calls out in a louder voice, “I have found the beast that pelages the heart and minds of so many! Charge!”

As the group rode along, there was a sudden tremor of such great proportions that Althena was thrown from her horse. She fell to the ground with a thud and grimaced. She muttered a most unladylike curse under her breath and quickly got to her feet. She spoke soothingly to her agitated mount, softly caressing it’s neck as she did so. After a moment, she got back into the saddle, and just then Alasdair said Conall was ok. Before she could say anything he began giving orders as to who should do what, including that she should stay behind and basically hide so as not to be harmed.

Althena held her tongue and watched as Alasdair and the others charged the great beast. Unable to help herself she rode up as close as she dare go, but still out of the beast’s way. As she did this she drew her crossbow and readied it quickly. She scanned the situation as quickly as possible. Seeing she did not have a good aim from her current location she quickly rode around the area until she found a position she was satisfied with. Now able to see the creature’s face, she took aim at his eyes. She fired the first arrow at his left eye, and the second arrow at his right.

Cynil has no words for the abomination facing them. Not that I need words, she supposes, unless you count an incantation... She doesn't hesitate an instant in opposing herself to this unnatural monster—most creatures, even the superficially grotesque ones, have a certain beauty in them, a purposefulness that redeems and elevates them. This beast is hideous to its bones.

Cynil gets the feeling, with her brace defensive and informational spells, that healing will be her major contribution to this encounter—but no one is injured yet. Leaping from the horse, she shakes her hair from her face and her sleeves from her hands, spreading her feet on the ground for balance. The animal is too afraid, even with her close by, to risk disrupting her concentration. Squared in the centre of the group, near Althena and out of immediate danger, Cynil looks to the trees around her. Staff held crosswise before, she closes her eyes and begins to murmur the words of power. As the magic builds inside her she reaches out to the nearest tree, stout-trunked and blunt-boled, calling upon it to awaken. She feels the rush of its sap and the slow unclenching of its wooden thews, visualizes the roots ripping up from the earth, and the boughs wrenching forward to bring devastation to their foe. Snapping her eyes open, she thrusts the staff at the tree, and shouts, in a language none of those around her can understand: "Awake! Awake!"

OOC: Cynil uses her staff of the woodlands to animate the nearest strong-looking tree, preferably a hardwood. When (if) it obeys, she will direct it to attack the Earthquake Beetle.

The party once again reunited, though with a large disturbing monster between them, found itself in a fight once again. The odds of 10 to one in their favor the party knew victory was to be theirs, yet the creature would be a tough kill nonetheless. Hopefully in killing it none of them would die....

Conall and DeBeucamp were by the nature of their closeness to the monster the first to attack.
The Paladin moving fast his sword a force for good struck true, piercing the creature’s side and revealing a flow of greenish/black blood. With the creature clearly in pain and Conall his shield before him readied himself for his next attack....

DeBeucamp, his great axe before him charged the head of the Beetle with an almost crazed look upon him. His rage and glee mixed into one emotion at finally having the chance to kill the killer of his wife and children and destroyer of his home. The axe with the strength of an angry man behind it like the Paladins sword hit true and with a second squeal, more of the creature’s blood was spilt....

Now it was the Earthquake Beetles turn to attempt to return the favor of pain to the two armored warriors before it.
Its bite and two leg attacks out of 4 directed at the Paladin Conall the creature did hit with both legs, one into the Paladins side and other his left leg, but missed with its bite, its teeth gnashing together in a futile crash of bone.

The last two legs were directed at the Knight DeBeucamp and as with Conall both did hit sending the warrior reeling back a large rip in his shoulder, blood pouring out, as both hits did he take there. For this round its attacks like that of the Paladin and Knight were over.....

Though the party for this the first round was out of melee range they were well within missile....

So it was that the first of the party to act was the dwarf Cor, one minute all worried on what would happen to the party due to Alasdair’s and Althena’s love for one another and how he would curse the Paladin. The next, into combat he did charge the spell of Spiritual Hammer upon his lips, with the spell cast and the hammer attacking, the priest was disappointed to see it miss. Maybe the next round would be different....

Af’til off his horse and out of melee range went to his arsenal of spells and as he moved closer did cast Puffball, only to watch as it had no effect. No matter, next round if he so desired he could attack the creature in melee....

Haila knowing she was out of melee range and having heard the order from Alasdair to those with the use of magic did so quickly casting the spell of Magic Missile towards the giant Dragon headed beetle. She was happy to see that all 4 missiles striking it dead on caused it pain. Next round she would see what else she could do in the selection of a spell....

Moving forward to the attack the lord Alasdair did at first draw his normal sword but thinking fast did replace it in favor of the Dragon Slayer at his side. With a full movement used and all his actions over, the Cavalier would be ready for melee in round 2....

Magma, he who had been so bored and itching for a fight had finally gotten one. Crossbow to hand he fired off a bolt without even thinking watching as it flew straight into the creature’s neck. The crossbow dropped on its sling, his throwing axe Sallie to hand, he was ready for his next attack....

Althena though not happy exactly with Alasdair’s order that she stay out of the fight was going to help as much as she could her crossbow like Magma’s to hand two bolts flashed out the first hitting, the second a clean miss. Though wounded in its left eye it was clear its sight was in no way hampered but yet again a new wound had it....

Cynil, Druid true she was, knew that the trees around her were calling to her so she did answer. Raising the Staff of the Woodlands she chose the biggest of the tress and gave to it mobility and the ability to attack next round. Her actions for the round over Cynil prepared for the next.

The last of the party to act was the Thief/Mage Ulthok a spell already on his lips, with a few words and a raised hand a Cone of Cold did strike the creature in its side, with its save made the Earthquake Beetle only did take half damage. His actions for next round as yet undecided, the halfling did think fast as to be ready....

The parties and DeBeucamp’s attacks for this round over, some with succes others with little or none. Would round two be better or worse only the next minute would tell?....

(OOC: Ok everyone good round, I liked a lot of what you guys came up with for round one, please keep it up.

Unfortunately once again Dragonmist and Drusillia are having a problem logging onto the Inn so till they get it fixed once again I will do the copy, paste thingi same as the last time.
OK Next post next Sunday.)
Character Damage this Round Conall: 17

Alasdair charged his horse forward with the mighty Dragon Slayer raised to strike the foul creature now before him. Watching both the monster and the position of his friends, he kept a mental picture in his head of the battle ground as it unfolded before him.

Search for an apparent weak spot in the monster's defenses, Alasdair did strike seeking to deleiver a mortal blow quickly and thus ending the danger to his companions. With a loud voice he called out, "Conall, did ye think to deprive us of all the fun to be had? Thinking ye could steal the glory of killing this beast along did ya?" she says with a wry grin and a laugh.

OOC: So Tann, have you given thought as to what the two rings actually do? Might come in handy right about now, or it may not. But either way, would be nice to know.

Any creature with a dragon like head was a caution, that be sure. Magma drew out his throwing axe Sallie and rode hard to flank the creature, hoping to strike deep in one of the legs while the multitude of attacks might confuse the beast. Prudence would suggest a distance attack would be best, to keep out of the way of possible breath weapons and dangerous legs. But magma wasn’t a prudent dwarf, and luck favoured the bold.

Once missile weapons are exhausted, Magma’s thoughts went straight for the belly of the beast – that would be its weakness, and he had an axe for every occasion.

Looking around, Cynil is pleased to see that many of her comrades are hanging back, and not yet directly engaging the monster. She curtly directs her own "arboreal recruit" into battle, at the same time preparing a spell to aid its cause, as well as those of her companions. Sometimes the simplest ideas are also the best, she thinks.

Cynil appeals to the forest at large for blessing, calling out in elven Druidic the names of those about her, their purpose in battle, and her own ancient evocation of fidelity to the woodlands. Hopefully, the land will favour them, and her friends will take heart in the rightness of their cause, striking with steady hands and firm conviction.

(Cynil casts bless on whoever hasn't yet engaged in melee combat – i.e., Af'til, Cor, Haila, Alasdair, Magma, Althena, Ulthok, and the tree. Hopefully she can cast it early enough to have effect on some of the charging people, but either way she'll help the missile attacks!)

So it was that round 2 of combat was upon the party and this round a new ally joined as well. Though this new ally was of wood and leaves, very much alive was it. Hopefully it would be able to help....

Alasdair was ready with the Dragon Slayer to hand he upon his stead did charge forward to the attack. The Dragon Slayer swung and thought aimed true for a mortal wound, was in reality a miss, but barely so as the Cavalier did move past the Beetle to its right side. The Beetles return attack though a little off target, did still manage to strike the Cavalier across his back as he rode past, pain and agony did Alasdair feel.
Still on his horse the Cavalier readied his next attack....

Conall knew he was hurt badly and low on health and though he wanted to attack he knew the better part of valor was to retreat for the moment to heal. A half move back before the creature could act and his only Potion of Extra-Healing to hand he did down it all gaining health back at once. Healed once again to full, the next round would be melee once again....

The Dwarf Magma was in his element, combat, combat and yet more combat. He lived for battle and the enemy in front of him a worthy foe indeed. With his crossbow empty and dropped to his side next up was his magical Axe of Hurling, Sallie. His pony at a fast pace angling around the Beetle he did let her fly, the axe striking true hitting the large creature in its side and embedding itself there. But the Beetle was quick to react and with a short leap did close the gap between them one of its legs striking the dwarf a hard blow flinging him off the pony to land hard upon the earth a stream of blood from a new wound to the dwarf’s right shoulder. Next round for Magma would be on his feet, his pony now running for the hills, Sallie once again to hand....

The Druid Cynil having used her staff to bring forth a new ally did now cast the spell of Bless its affects settling over all but Alasdair and Magma. Her turn done for this round a spell cast useful to all, including her ally Treant, the spell itself would be good for 6 rounds, the Druids action for the next round of combat as yet to be determined....

So it was that the Beetles turn to attack was now, its first two attacks having already hit the dwarf Magma, and the Cavalier Alasdair it now did turn its attention to the nearest threats, DeBeucamp, Af’til, and the Treant. The first of its last two legs did attack the Ranger/Cleric and with a great sound of flesh tearing Af’til did find himself 30 paces away on his back a great gaping wound in his chest the Beetles leg having hit for critical damage.
Barely on the edge of consciousness was the Ranger/Cleric, down he was for the moment, surely in need of healing.

With its bite it did attack the Knight DeBeucamp and much to his surprise its jaws as had the round before closed on empty air. For the moment he had gotten lucky, his return attack a hit he watched as this time the Beetles blood did flow.

The Beetles last leg did target the newly arrived Treant and its target moving slow and with a poor AC was hit hard. Bark flying and branches crushed, yet with its size helping it, the Treant did move forward to the attack. A huge limb raised and brought crashing down it did score a hit upon the Beetles back causing a loud cry of pain to issue from the monsters mouth....

The Lady Althena yet heeding the call for her to stay back once again fired two bolts from her magical crossbow and was glad to see that this time both bolts had flown true hitting the creature in its side.
The Beetle busy in melee gave no sign that it had even noticed the punctures but Althena could see quite well that blood from it did flow. She could only hope that next round yet more damage would she do....

Next up once again was the Lady Haila and this time she was ready. Having seen the minor damage done by her Magic Missile spell she turned to the spell of Melf’s Acid Arrow, with the words spoken and her hand out before her the arrow like spell did fly striking the giant Beetle in its Dragon like neck. With a roar of pain the Earthquake Beetle did take notice and seemingly turned her way reading its next attack....

Cor meanwhile was hanging back as yet controlling his Spritual Hammer which he did again direct it to strike at the Beetles head, but as it had been with the first round so it was this round as the hammer no hit did score. Mayhap next round something different would he try?....

The last to attack once again was the Halfling Ulthok and having seen the success of Haila’s spell and the creature’s reaction to it did decide to cast the same. As with Haila the words of the spell Melf’s Acid Arrow spoken the spell was cast, only to miss at the last insent as the Beetle did move towards Haila. Ulthok not in the least bit deterred readied his next spell....

Round two over and as the first round both good and bad. A creature clearly somewhat in pain, yet still on the attack. A number of party members wounded and bleeding, with one semi conscious and on his back. Round three coming up next....

(OOC: Ok very poor posting this week what did most of you do, take the week off?
OK next post next Sunday and a big thank you to the three players that did post.)
DAMAGE THIS ROUND Alasdiar: 6 points
Magma: 17 points
Af’til: 50 points (critical hit: 25 points x double damage)
Treant: Unknown