One out of three ain't bad

Regardless of the Revenger’s victory, this ‘Epic battle’ was much closer than I’d care to admit. This can be shown by the length of the battle (Approximately fifteen rounds) and by the pitiful level of reserves the Revengers had left. I can’t speak for Manus Arcangelus but all four of my combatants were down to just At-wills. I’d even used one of my ‘Second winds’ and was out of all but one (heavily restricted magical item) healing power. What sealed the victory for me though, was surprisingly Porkins, my cleric. 'Moment of Glory' gave everyone in my team 5 resistance and the 'Spirit of healing' repaired any damage that got through. Both awesome cleric powers and almost certainly both 'broken' and overpowered. So Sven and I finished this battle tied at 'one game each' and the single draw. A pretty fair overall result, as I sacrificed several of my remaining brain cells creating the team AND trying to keep track of what they could do round to round. Playing a group of four identical Tiefling warlocks was MUCH easier! :S Also in regard to how much damage Sven did to my team... Belial used his 'Armour of Agathys' which granted him 14 THPs, regenerated 2HPs per round and used a potion of healing. Twinkle used her ‘Healing herbs’ and her potion of healing. Rip used his ‘Second wind’, his 4 (Devoted Paladin) Lay on hands on himself and Twinkle, his Dwarven plate free healing surge, his ‘Virtue’ power that granted him 16THPs AND ‘Righteous smite’ which gave everyone an additional 9THPs! Porkins (my pacifist healer) used ‘Healer’s mercy’ on Rip and Twinkle, 2 ‘Healing words’ on Rip, ‘Barronar’s salve’ on Twinkle and kept the ‘Spirit of healing’ going at a cost of a constant sustain. All in all (excluding the regeneration and constant flow of healing from the ‘Spirit of healing’) My team went through 17ish healing surge powers, averaging a use of more than one healing power per combat round! Ultimately though (as Sven said to me) I can finally claim a victory over our overseas german friend! :P

When Angels fall

Furious from the loss of their leader, the remaining angels rush forward to get revenge the resilient Dragon-born Revenger. More blows rain down upon him and although wounded again and again, his dwarven cleric’s divine magic keeps him from unconsciousness. Porkins can do little but move to support his Paladin teammate but the tiefling Belial blasts Eldritch flame at the Dragon-born angel: Raphael. Even the Elf Twinkle finishes fleeing north and turns and fires several arrows into the fray at her oath enemy: Gabriel. The combat is thick and fast but at the epicenter or all of this is the healing spirit conjured by the cleric Porkins at the very beginning of the encounter. The almost constantly bloodied Rip, heaves himself to his feet. His scales torn and stained red from his own blood. Still, he’s fulfilled his purpose; he’s kept his teammates safe and he’s willing to die to allow them victory. Using the last of his holy might, he lashes out at the flaming angel beside him while simultaneously lending holy protection to Belial and Porkins. He hits and hurts the angel and so the spirit of healing magically binds his leaking wounds. Spurred on by this wave of rapture, Rip releases his flaming breath at Raphael and Uriel. Both hit and Rip is restored still further. It’s then when Belial notes the fear in the remaining angels faces. They’ve allowed themselves to be drawn into Porkins' zone. As long as the Revengers can attack, they will be miraculously and constantly healed. Still though, team Manus Arcangelus press their attack. It’s only when the Deva Gabriel is felled by one of Twinkle’s arrows and quickly finished off by the dancing Belial, that the remaining four angels finally admit defeat.

Locking horns with the devil

The Angelic Dragon-born Raphael slashes his exact opponent to the bone. It would have been a finishing blow if not for Porkins’ divine magic reducing Raphael’s strength and bolstering Rip’s resistance. Frustrated but wise, Raphael looks to see two of his teammates wounded. Considering the look on Belial’s demonic face, the Paladin decides that Gabriel is in the greatest danger and risks a blow from the shaken Rip as he rushes to her aid. Unsurprisingly, the heavily bloodied Rip misses by a good yard. Laying his holy hands on his beautiful associate, Gabriel smiles benignly up at him. Belial spits. He’d wanted to kill the angelic bitch since he’d first laid his eyes on her. Should he still attack her? It would feel soooo good… He licks his lips… But that was the mistake he’d made before. Better think smarter… Glancing around Belial spies the Minotaur Michael. The wounded Minotaur Michael. From his protected position, Belial sends a burst of Eldritch energy, bolstered by his warlock’s curse AND the black wraith of hell, at the cocky quadruped. For the second time in this battle, the Minotaur falls and Belial can feel the dark powers engulf him. They could carry him in any direction but Belial feels his hatred pull him to the Minotaur’s side. Despite Gabriel being his desired prize, it’s too good an opportunity to miss. Jamming his magical rod into the unconscious creatures side, Belial administers a powerful coup de grace. Belial smiles as the stench of death emanates from Michael’s massive carcass. Porkins, although surprised by this sudden turn-around, takes the opportunity to heal Twinkle and Rip. Neither are fully restored though; Rip is still bloodied and badly wounded, but they are both able to continue the fight. Gabriel though seems enraged. She targets the hapless Rip again and wounds him terribly. Somehow though he remains on his feet. Rip has never loved anyone aside from his elven bride as much as he loves the dwarf Porkins right now. Twinkle knows nothing of this though from her prone position within the stone ruin. Still badly injured, she rolls to her feet and rushes north, hopefully out of danger. Her fingers pulling her sole potion of healing from her belt pouch. Uriel, also outraged by Michael’s death and Rip’s unwillingness to fall down, sends his flaming angel to finish him off. The divine creature does as he’s ordered perfectly. The critical blow sublime… The stubborn dragon-born Rip finally goes down. Raphael senses the battle shift his way again and gambles that the dwarf cleric is out of healing powers. He rushes the laughing Belial and injures him despite the weakness inflicted upon him and the protections placed on Belial. It’s not enough to drop him though. Belial responds like the brave hero he is and teleports away, leaving a zone of immobilizing cold in his wake. Both Raphael and Uriel are caught within it. Appearing instantly beside the fretting Porkins and the downed Rip, Belial looks to the dwarf for help and the cleric does not let him down. Raphael was wrong, Porkins has one last ‘regular’ healing spell to use and he uses it to seal the worst of Rip’s wounds. Blinking through the brimstone, Rip shakes his head and roars.

Closing in for the thrill

Forced back onto the retreat, the revengers took yet more unanswered damage.
The Angels are relentless and press forward contantly.
The almost constantly bloodied Dragon-born: Rip has been caught again and subjected to yet more critical blows.
Frankly, it’s only pride holding him up.
In his eagerness to take down Twinkle, Uriel let his ‘cross of health’ fall so that he could summon another celestial creature to attack the already wounded elf.
Only the dwarf Porkins and the laughing Belial seem to still be OK.
As for the Angels…
They’re suffering from a few ‘inconveniences’, but that’s all they seem to be to them.
The Revengers are nearly boxed in.
Is there any chance of a last gasp, daring escape?

Six sessions along and STILL all the combatants are alive. In fact Team Manus Arcangelus actually have gained two new team-mates thanks to Uriel’s summoning powers.
The Angels have used all their Action points but no second winds.
The Revengers have only used two Action points and a second wind.

Session seven will hopefully be on Monday the 24th at 9pm.

The map shows everyone including uriel’s two summoned creatures.
Uriel’s position might be a bit off. (I’m guessing from Twinkle’s memory.)

Don’t call it a comeback

After taking a prolonged kicking from the various shaped feet of the angels, the Revengers staged a fight back…
Of sorts.
Rip stubbornly refused to fall down and although unable to land a blow against his tormentors, he did manage to escape their clutches and break for cover.
Then a well co-ordinated attack from Belial and Twinkle finally got the Minotaur Michael down…
For a couple of seconds.
Despite being quickly healed by his team-mates though, Michael was still unable to sustain his protective zone.

So five sessions in and all the combatants are amazingly still alive.
From Manus Arcangelus: Gabriel, Uriel and Raphael have used their Action points.
From the Revengers: Twinkle and Rip also have. Rip has also used his Second wind.
The real differnce though, is that the Angels have used their extra actions aggressively and the Revengers have used theirs to flee.
Aside from the various Marks, Buffs and Debuffs though, the only predicament worth mentioning is that the Minotaur Michael is Dazed and prone.

Session six will start tonight at 9pm.

The map shows everyone visible to both teams. Rip and Belial are somewhere South of their own team-mates.

Feel free to join us over maptools or (for Sven only) Skype.