Durnham walks in the room behind the others and is startled at Brandon’s shout. He looks around for the source of danger.

9 Initiative

Initiative order: Kotar 19, Brandon 11, Durnham 10, Kinves 6, Ressys 4

(Kotar to go first)

“Fight or delay? More like kill us.” He said to Brandon’s comment. Forget the gods. If every room in Aoer was like that Kotar would soon be convinced that Aeor was a danger to everything and everyone. Honestly, he wouldn’t be surprised if their literal fall was caused by themselves, and the deities just conveniently assumed the responsibility as a way to dissuade mortals from trying to reach the flying city level of danger. A thought for later, he decided seeing the living blades.

The goliath wished to use his maul, but he had removed his shield and so, once again, he pulled the longsword. He was uncertain if a cutting weapon was even capable of damaging a cutting utensil, but at the moment was the best he could do. He thought of shouting for Brandon and trying the flanking maneuver again, but there was no space to align their positions. At least these enemies shouldn’t be easier to defeat than the zombies. And the snakes. No poison on those knifes. He hoped.

Kotar then raised his shield and advanced, throwing a cut at the unexpected enemy. He could not help but imagined what the people of his clan would say watching the scene. That gave a new meaning to Ironhunter.

Notes: Kotar makes an attack with his longsword.

Attack: 18
Damage: 5

“Kill us? These old knives?  Hopefully not today, friend.” Brandon responds to Kotar.  He raises his shield and strikes down with his longsword, trying to drive the animated knife in front of him down harmlessly into the ground.

Attack: 20 Damage: 8.

.

The Dwarf again raises his staff and hangs back behind the Kotar and Brandon. “I’m glad you boys are here to keep these things away from me.” He levels the staff at the knife Brandon just struck and sends a small ball of fire at it. “Flambe!” 

10 Spell attack for 1 fire damage

However, he’s struggling to get a good angle on the knives from behind the fighter and the Warlock.

Initiative order: Kotar 19, Brandon 11, Durnham 10, Knives 6, Ressys 4

Kotar moves first, swinging his long blade at one of the animated knives.  They prove to be very nimble though and avoid his attack easily.

Brandon is more successful, catching his target in flight and cracking the hilt badly; the blade wavers in the air and looks ready to fall.

Durnham's shot is wide, his sight impeded in the close quarters.

The three blades lash out at the interlopers, one each at Kotar, Brandon and Ressys.

Attack on Kotar  Attack: 7 Damage: 5  piercing 

Attack on Brandon Attack: 22 Damage: 4  piercing 

Attack on Ressys Attack: 5 Damage: 4  piercing  

(Ressys' turn). 

Ressys finds himself closer to these knives than he wished, their attack so sudden.  A kitchen utensil suddenly animated and attacking.  He lifts his shield up in time and one of the blades is deflected away. At the same time Ressys sweeps a scimitar from his belt and brings it down onto the knives.

Attack: 20 Damage: 7 

One of the animated kitchen knives rides up Brandon’s blade and strikes at his shoulder, stripping away most of his false life.  Cursing, Brandon brings his longsword back around and attempts to knock away the knife again.

Attack: 17 Damage: 10.

.

Initiative order: Kotar 19, Brandon 11, Durnham 10, Knives 6, Ressys 4

Ressys smashes another knife and it sways in the air, badly damaged and almost destroyed.

(Kotar's turn)

The good news was that the strike of a blade was effective against the living knives, Brandon’s attack proved as much. The bad news was that the things were nimble, hard to hit. At least harder than he thought. The enemy, if one could call it so, easily evaded the longsword and as if that was not enough it also took chance of the opening the offensive provided to try and hit Kotar. Steel met with steel as the knife hit nothing beyond his splint armor. It was enough for the goliath to make a mental note to thank the Glassblades when they returned to Paleblank. It was not the first time the thing saved him and he doubted it would be the last.

“Count on us for cover.” He said to Durnham while rising his blade again. Let’s see how many times you can avoid me, he said to himself as the warlock was stabbed. Strangely for the fighter, his friend didn’t see actually hurt. Angry sure. Frustrated, maybe. But not hurt. That is what matters the most, he said with the voice of his mind thinking about Qidira. “Stay quiet, you piece of junk.” And then he attacked.

Kotar truly needed someone to taught him how to curse better.

Attack: 24
Damage: 10

Durnham grinds his teeth at the missed shot. He gathers his will again and points the staff at the knife Ressys seemed to almost destroy. “Flambe!”

14 attack for 1 fire damage

Initiative order: Kotar 19, Brandon 11, Durnham 10, Knives 6, Ressys 4

Kotar and Brandon both manage to dispatch their targets, broken blades and handles scattering across the kitchen floor.  Durnham misses his mark again, the lone remaining knife waiving in the air.

Waiting for a moment to attack, the knife dives through the air towards Kotar (nearest opponent, nothing personal!)

Attack on Kotar: Attack: 5 Damage: 5  piercing 

(Ressys' turn)

Blades were flying all over as Ressys tried to keep track of the animated blades.  As one of them whooshes past Kotar Ressys swings his scimitar trying to knock it out of the air.

Attack: 8 Damage: 4 

Initiative order: Kotar 19, Brandon 11, Durnham 10, Knives 6, Ressys 4

The last knife evades Ressys' attack, the buckled implement swerving to avoid the firbolg.

(Kotar's turn)

As he lowered his arm Kotar recognized the sensation of the strike he took against the ball of snakes. His hand was steady, his form impeccable and nothing of the strength generated by his move was lost. He knew he was going to hit and bring hell upon the living knife, even before anything actually happened. And it did happen. Exactly how he expected. Never though I would slash a blade dead, the goliath thought assuming the thing had some kind of life.

There was little time to enjoy the victory, however. An enemy still stood and it was hard to hit. The fighter blamed it mostly on the thign’s speed. Of course, its size played a part on it too. Smaller targets where harder to hit, all the more if they had a wide range of moves.

“You know what, I think you’re right.” He said to Brandon. “They would kill us today.” Or any day, considering that soon they would be destroyed, but Kotar thought it unnecessary to say as much, at least with words. Hoping for another successful attack he moved between druid and warlock, bringing the enemy into his reach and rising his steel. If I don’t hit, someone will. It was only a matter of time.

Notes: Kotar moves into range and attacks with his longsword.

Attack: 16
Damage: 5

Initiative order: Kotar 19, Brandon 11, Durnham 10, Knives 6, Ressys 4

Kotar seems to account for the knife's agility, but the small blade dodges at the last minute as the goliath's attack goes wide.

(Brandon's turn)

With one last kitchen knife threatening the group, Brandon turns and brings his blade back down, trying again to break the hilt off of the weapon and drive it into the floor.

Attack: 7 Damage: 8.

Durnham growls in frustration as he tries once again to hit the last knife with his cantrip.

16 spell attack for 8 fire damage

Melee wasn't Ressys thing, but sometimes you were forced into it.  He continued to battle as best he could.

Attack: 11 Damage: 4 

Initiative order: Kotar 19, Brandon 11, Durnham 10, Knives 6, Ressys 4

Brandon and Durnham struggle to bring down the animated knife, it ducks from their attacks and dives in at Ressys again.

Attack: 14 Damage: 5  piercing