A Tale of Overcoming the Odds

[Takahashi]

A kindly quartet of brave souls (and Nobuo Uematsu) ventured out into the bitter cold of the Ice Caverns, close to the safe haven of Hassen's Nexus Monastery. Soon after entering, they were caught unawares by chaotics, and at first the chances of their survival were slim; their outlook: grim. This is the incomplete story of how these valiant investigators and a tag along music designer came to avoid certain death.

In other words, here's a battle log starting at the latter half of the first round where Rand, my WM (Granis Truthbearer), my Ranger (Eilidh Whiterose), Kumog's Dragoon (Kumog) and his Blue Mage (Nobuo) nearly got wiped out by an ambush. Kumog was level 42, Rand and both of my characters were level 39 and Nobuo was 30 at the time (more on that later). We were facing off against three Great Mummies, five Vampire Lords, four Ice Dragons and four Zombie Dragons.

-= Round 1 =-

* Ice Dragon(14) >> Granis Truthbearer --- MISSED
* Great Mummy(9) - Weak 1 >> Eilidh Whiterose --- unaffected.
* Ice Dragon(13) >> Granis Truthbearer --- 64 DMG
* Zombie Dragon(8) >> Granis Truthbearer --- MISSED
* Zombie Dragon(11) >> Rand --- 17 DMG (WEAK)
* Rand - Disease >> 8 DMG
* Zombie Dragon(10) >> Rand --- MISSED
* Vampire Lord(3) - Drain 1 >> Granis Truthbearer --- 67 DMG.
* Vampire Lord(15) - Drain 1 >> Eilidh Whiterose --- 62 DMG.
* Vampire Lord(6) - Drain 1 >> Rand --- 61 DMG.
* Vampire Lord(5) - Drain 1 >> Rand --- 68 DMG.
* Vampire Lord(1) - Drain 1 >> Eilidh Whiterose --- 68 DMG.
<Eilidh Whiterose>: Yeah, Cure 3 time.
* Kumog >> Vampire Lord(6) --- 2 HITS -- 152 DMG (WEAK)

Suffice to say, this round didn't go all that well. Gran was left with ~5 HP by the end of it, and all that had been done to the enemies was Slow 2 to a cluster of dragons and mummies along with I believe a Lightstorm 1 from Rand. Nothing on their end was dead and already the main healer on our side was on death's door. I figured the best course of action would be to Cure 3 Gran back into near full health, but Rand's choice of action for round 2 led to a change of plans for the better...

-= Round 2 =-

<Granis Truthbearer>: Wait, Rand has a better idea.
* Kumog --- Jump
* Rand - Healstorm 1 >> Granis Truthbearer --- 75 HP healed.
>> Eilidh Whiterose --- 74 HP healed.
>> Rand --- 71 HP healed.
* Nobuo Uematsu - Ice 3 >> Zombie Dragon(4) --- 188 DMG.
>> Vampire Lord(3) --- 96 DMG.
>> Zombie Dragon(10) --- 182 DMG.
>> Zombie Dragon(11) --- 180 DMG.
>> Great Mummy(7) --- 184 DMG.
>> Zombie Dragon(8) --- 180 DMG.
>> Vampire Lord(1) --- 94 DMG.
* Granis Truthbearer - Healstorm 2 >> Granis Truthbearer --- 140 HP healed.
>> Eilidh Whiterose --- 87 HP healed.
>> Rand --- 83 HP healed.
* Great Mummy(16) >> Rand --- 9 DMG
* Great Mummy(7) - Demi >> Nobuo Uematsu --- 117 DMG.
* Eilidh Whiterose --- Hunt >> Great Mummy(16)
* Eilidh Whiterose >> Great Mummy(16) --- 7 HITS -- 984 DMG
* Great Mummy(9) >> Nobuo Uematsu --- MISSED
* Ice Dragon(2) >> Granis Truthbearer --- MISSED
* Zombie Dragon(11) >> Granis Truthbearer --- 2 HITS -- 96 DMG
* Granis Truthbearer - Disease >> 19 DMG
* Ice Dragon(14) - Ice 2 >> Nobuo Uematsu --- 121 DMG.
Zombie Dragon(8) --- Lured
Ice Dragon(13) --- Lured
* Ice Dragon(12) >> Eilidh Whiterose --- 33 DMG
Vampire Lord(1) --- Lured
Vampire Lord(5) --- Lured
* Zombie Dragon(10) >> Rand --- 2 HITS -- 66 DMG
* Rand - Disease >> 9 DMG
* Zombie Dragon(4) >> Eilidh Whiterose --- MISSED
* Vampire Lord(15) - Drain 1 >> Granis Truthbearer --- 66 DMG.
Vampire Lord(6) --- Lured
Vampire Lord(3) --- Lured
* Kumog >> Ice Dragon(2) --- 1,057 DMG (CRITICAL)

Things get worse, as Nobuo gets killed off; Barrier 1 _might've_ saved him, but it would've been close. Gran continues to get beat up, but things are looking slightly better as we've started to get kills.

-= Round 3 =-

* Kumog --- Jump
<Kumog>: Try and LS them, Rand?
<Granis Truthbearer>: LS them Rand. We may need to thin the herd.
<Rand>: I already was.
* Rand - Lightstorm 1 >> Vampire Lord(3) --- 71 DMG.
>> Great Mummy(7) --- 140 DMG.
>> Zombie Dragon(4) --- 284 DMG.
>> Zombie Dragon(8) --- 276 DMG.
>> Zombie Dragon(10) --- 278 DMG.
>> Zombie Dragon(11) --- 290 DMG.
>> Vampire Lord(1) --- 71 DMG.
* Granis Truthbearer - Cure 3 >> Granis Truthbearer --- 251 HP healed.
* Great Mummy(9) >> Rand --- 16 DMG
* Eilidh Whiterose --- Hunt >> Great Mummy(9)
* Eilidh Whiterose >> Great Mummy(9) --- 4 HITS -- 700 DMG
* Great Mummy(7) - Demi >> Rand --- 141 DMG.
* Zombie Dragon(11) >> Eilidh Whiterose --- 39 DMG
* Eilidh Whiterose - Disease >> 20 DMG
* Ice Dragon(14) - Ice 2 >> Granis Truthbearer --- 62 DMG.
* Ice Dragon(2) >> Granis Truthbearer --- MISSED
Zombie Dragon(4) --- Lured
<Eilidh Whiterose>: That takes care of almost all of the Demis. Now to eat some Drainers.
* Ice Dragon(12) - Ice 2 >> Eilidh Whiterose --- 112 DMG.
* Ice Dragon(13) - Ice 2 >> Eilidh Whiterose --- 108 DMG.
* Zombie Dragon(10) >> Rand --- 21 DMG
* Rand - Disease >> 8 DMG
* Vampire Lord(1) >> Eilidh Whiterose --- 2 HITS -- 18 DMG (WEAK)
* Vampire Lord(15) >> Rand --- 2 HITS -- 48 DMG
* Zombie Dragon(8) >> Eilidh Whiterose --- MISSED
Vampire Lord(6) --- Lured
Vampire Lord(5) --- Lured
* Vampire Lord(3) >> Eilidh Whiterose --- 15 DMG (WEAK)
* Kumog >> Vampire Lord(6) --- 3 HITS -- 453 DMG

-= Round 4 =-

* Kumog --- Jump
<Kumog>: Got 15
* Rand - Lightstorm 1 >> Vampire Lord(3) --- 73 DMG.
>> Great Mummy(7) --- 144 DMG.
>> Zombie Dragon(4) --- 290 DMG.
>> Zombie Dragon(8) --- 292 DMG.
>> Zombie Dragon(10) --- 276 DMG.
>> Zombie Dragon(11) --- 284 DMG.
>> Vampire Lord(1) --- 73 DMG.
* Granis Truthbearer - Healstorm 2 >> Granis Truthbearer --- 62 HP healed.
>> Eilidh Whiterose --- 140 HP healed.
>> Rand --- 139 HP healed.
* Eilidh Whiterose --- Hunt >> Vampire Lord(5)
* Eilidh Whiterose >> Vampire Lord(5) --- 6 HITS -- 434 DMG (WEAK)
* Ice Dragon(14) >> Eilidh Whiterose --- 55 DMG
* Ice Dragon(2) - Ice 2 >> Rand --- 122 DMG.
* Zombie Dragon(11) - Lit 2 >> Granis Truthbearer --- 60 DMG.
* Zombie Dragon(8) >> Rand --- MISSED
Ice Dragon(12) --- Lured
* Ice Dragon(13) >> Granis Truthbearer --- 72 DMG
* Zombie Dragon(4) >> Eilidh Whiterose --- MISSED
* Vampire Lord(15) >> Eilidh Whiterose --- 30 DMG
* Vampire Lord(5) >> Eilidh Whiterose --- 2 HITS -- 65 DMG
Vampire Lord(1) --- Lured
* Zombie Dragon(10) >> Rand --- 23 DMG
* Rand - Disease >> 9 DMG
* Vampire Lord(3) - Drain 1 >> Granis Truthbearer --- 68 DMG.
* Kumog >> Vampire Lord(15) --- 2 HITS -- 366 DMG

The battle of attrition is starting to favor the chaotics, as I'm running low on MP with my WM, and Rand's starting to feel a little taxed as well. We've wiped out all of the Great Mummies though, which means no more risk of someone getting Demi-ed.

-= Round 5 =-

* Kumog --- Jump
* Rand - Lightstorm 1 >> Vampire Lord(3) --- 69 DMG.
>> Zombie Dragon(4) --- 278 DMG.
>> Zombie Dragon(8) --- 276 DMG.
>> Zombie Dragon(10) --- 290 DMG.
>> Zombie Dragon(11) --- 286 DMG.
>> Vampire Lord(1) --- 73 DMG.
* Granis Truthbearer - Healstorm 2 >> Granis Truthbearer --- 140 HP healed.
>> Eilidh Whiterose --- 131 HP healed.
>> Rand --- 139 HP healed.
* Eilidh Whiterose >> Vampire Lord(5) --- 6 HITS -- 608 DMG
<Kumog>: Damn vamp lords refuse to die.
* Ice Dragon(14) - Ice 2 >> Rand --- 122 DMG.
* Zombie Dragon(11) >> Granis Truthbearer --- 2 HITS -- 98 DMG
* Granis Truthbearer - Disease >> 20 DMG
* Ice Dragon(2) - Ice 2 >> Rand --- 113 DMG.
* Zombie Dragon(4) - Lit 2 >> Granis Truthbearer --- 59 DMG.
Zombie Dragon(8) --- Lured
Vampire Lord(15) --- Lured
<Rand>: I don;t!
Zombie Dragon(10) --- Lured
* Vampire Lord(1) - Drain 1 >> Granis Truthbearer --- 65 DMG.
* Ice Dragon(12) >> Eilidh Whiterose --- 17 DMG (WEAK)
Ice Dragon(13) --- Lured
Vampire Lord(3) --- Lured
* Kumog >> Vampire Lord(15) --- 3 HITS -- 882 DMG (CRITICAL)

-= Round 6 =-

* Kumog --- Jump
* Granis Truthbearer - Cure 3 >> Granis Truthbearer --- 286 HP healed.
* Eilidh Whiterose --- Hunt >> Vampire Lord(1)
* Eilidh Whiterose >> Vampire Lord(1) --- 4 HITS -- 468 DMG
* Ice Dragon(2) - Ice 2 >> Granis Truthbearer --- 61 DMG.
* Zombie Dragon(11) >> Granis Truthbearer --- 2 HITS -- 99 DMG
* Granis Truthbearer - Disease >> 19 DMG
* Ice Dragon(14) >> Eilidh Whiterose --- MISSED
* Zombie Dragon(8) - Lit 2 >> Eilidh Whiterose --- 129 DMG.
Ice Dragon(12) --- Lured
* Zombie Dragon(10) >> Eilidh Whiterose --- 2 HITS -- 81 DMG
* Eilidh Whiterose - Disease >> 20 DMG
* Ice Dragon(13) >> Granis Truthbearer --- 65 DMG
* Zombie Dragon(4) - Lit 2 >> Granis Truthbearer --- 65 DMG.
Vampire Lord(3) --- Lured
* Kumog >> Vampire Lord(3) --- 3 HITS -- 451 DMG
<Granis Truthbearer>: This bodes ill.

Rand and Granis join Nobuo amongst the defeated, so things are looking really bad now that all three characters capable of healing without wasting a round are eating the floor. I start considering this to to be a lost fight. Moggle and I decide to keep fighting to the best of our ability and see what happens though, since we've managed to wipe out all of the vampires and mummies which leaves the dragons.

Turns out that doing so was a good idea.

-= Round 7 =-

* Kumog --- Jump
* Eilidh Whiterose --- Hunt >> Zombie Dragon(4)
* Eilidh Whiterose >> Zombie Dragon(4) --- 5 HITS -- 1,239 DMG (CRITICAL)
<Kumog>: Gonna try and off the non-slowed ones
Ice Dragon(2) --- Lured
<Rand>: Nay.
Zombie Dragon(11) --- Lured
Ice Dragon(14) --- Lured
* Zombie Dragon(8) >> Eilidh Whiterose --- MISSED
* Zombie Dragon(10) >> Eilidh Whiterose --- MISSED
Ice Dragon(13) --- Lured
* Ice Dragon(12) >> Eilidh Whiterose --- 51 DMG
* Kumog >> Zombie Dragon(11) --- 2 HITS -- 603 DMG

-= Round 8 =-

* Kumog --- Jump
* Eilidh Whiterose --- Hunt >> Zombie Dragon(8)
* Eilidh Whiterose >> Zombie Dragon(8) --- 4 HITS -- 688 DMG
* Ice Dragon(2) >> Eilidh Whiterose --- 32 DMG
* Zombie Dragon(11) - Lit 2 >> Eilidh Whiterose --- 121 DMG.
* Ice Dragon(14) >> Eilidh Whiterose --- MISSED
Zombie Dragon(10) --- Lured
Zombie Dragon(8) --- Lured
* Ice Dragon(12) >> Eilidh Whiterose --- 56 DMG
Ice Dragon(13) --- Lured
* Kumog --- Dragoon Fury
* Kumog >> Zombie Dragon(11) --- 8 HITS -- 999 DMG (WEAK)

-= Round 9 =-

* Kumog --- Jump
* Eilidh Whiterose >> Zombie Dragon(8) --- 3 HITS -- 1,506 DMG (MORTAL WOUND)
* Ice Dragon(2) >> Eilidh Whiterose --- 17 DMG (WEAK)
Ice Dragon(14) --- Lured
Ice Dragon(13) --- Lured
Zombie Dragon(10) --- Lured
Ice Dragon(12) --- Lured
* Kumog >> Ice Dragon(2) --- 3 HITS -- 719 DMG
<Kumog>: He's near dead.

-= Round 10 =-

* Kumog --- Jump
* Eilidh Whiterose --- Hunt >> Ice Dragon(2)
* Eilidh Whiterose >> Ice Dragon(2) --- 4 HITS -- 688 DMG
* Ice Dragon(14) >> Eilidh Whiterose --- 36 DMG
Ice Dragon(12) --- Lured
Zombie Dragon(10) --- Lured
* Ice Dragon(13) >> Eilidh Whiterose --- MISSED
* Kumog >> Ice Dragon(14) --- 497 DMG

At this point I start changing my view on our odds of winning, since momentum is starting to go our way. I'm still losing HP, but it's at a slow enough rate to where I believe that Kumog and I will be able to outlast the Dragons as we take them down one by one. Kumog's still hiding a few MP points, so he'll survive the entire fight for certain.

-= Round 11 =-

* Kumog --- Jump
* Eilidh Whiterose --- Hunt >> Zombie Dragon(10)
* Eilidh Whiterose >> Zombie Dragon(10) --- 6 HITS -- 871 DMG
* Ice Dragon(14) >> Eilidh Whiterose --- MISSED
Zombie Dragon(10) --- Lured
* Ice Dragon(13) >> Eilidh Whiterose --- MISSED
* Ice Dragon(12) - Ice 2 >> Eilidh Whiterose --- 115 DMG.
* Kumog >> Ice Dragon(14) --- 1,634 DMG (MORTAL WOUND)

-= Round 12 =-

* Kumog --- Jump
* Eilidh Whiterose >> Zombie Dragon(10) --- 7 HITS -- 961 DMG
* Ice Dragon(12) - Ice 2 >> Eilidh Whiterose --- 117 DMG.
* Ice Dragon(13) >> Eilidh Whiterose --- 42 DMG
* Kumog >> Ice Dragon(12) --- 488 DMG

-= Round 13 =-

* Kumog --- Dragoon Fury
* Kumog >> Ice Dragon(12) --- 4 HITS -- 310 DMG (WEAK)
* Eilidh Whiterose >> Ice Dragon(12) --- 6 HITS -- 878 DMG
* Ice Dragon(13) >> Eilidh Whiterose --- MISSED
* Ice Dragon(12) >> Kumog --- 17 DMG (WEAK)

-= Round 14 =-

* Eilidh Whiterose >> Ice Dragon(12) --- 3 HITS -- 599 DMG
* Kumog >> Ice Dragon(13) --- 117 DMG (WEAK)
* Ice Dragon(13) - Ice 2 >> Kumog --- 122 DMG.
<Kumog>: OK, defending so you can heal/revive

From this point on, the fight was ours. At the worst, I'd end up dead while Kumog finsihes off the weakened lone Ice Dragon. I decided to play the odds and try to bring back the rest of the party. if I was successful, it meant XP for all of us. If I wasn't... well, I'm sure Kumog wouldn't mind getting 110k XP.

-= Rounds 15-23 (also known as "Kumog Defends For Eight Rounds") =-

* Eilidh Whiterose --- Meditate --- 25 MP restored.
* Ice Dragon(13) >> Kumog --- MISSED

* Eilidh Whiterose --- Reverted
<Eilidh Whiterose>: This is a gamble.
* Ice Dragon(13) >> Eilidh Whiterose --- 54 DMG

<Kumog>: A gamble that paid off.
* Eilidh Whiterose - Cure 2 >> Eilidh Whiterose --- 98 HP healed.
* Ice Dragon(13) >> Kumog --- 80 DMG (CRITICAL)

* Eilidh Whiterose - Barrier 1 >> Eilidh Whiterose
* Ice Dragon(13) >> Eilidh Whiterose --- MISSED

* Eilidh Whiterose --- Meditate --- 24 MP restored.
* Ice Dragon(13) >> Eilidh Whiterose --- MISSED

* Eilidh Whiterose - Cure 2 >> Eilidh Whiterose --- 98 HP healed.
* Ice Dragon(13) >> Eilidh Whiterose --- MISSED

* Eilidh Whiterose --- Meditate --- 24 MP restored.
* Ice Dragon(13) >> Kumog --- 8 DMG (WEAK)
<Eilidh Whiterose>: Ready Rand?
<Rand>: Mm.
<Eilidh Whiterose>: If this works out, you're a healer.

* Eilidh Whiterose - Life 1 >> Rand
* Ice Dragon(13) >> Kumog --- MISSED
<Kumog>: Hasting in hopes of dodging more hits for ya

* Rand - Life 1 >> Granis Truthbearer
* Kumog --- Quicksilver
* Eilidh Whiterose - Barrier 1 >> Rand
* Ice Dragon(13) >> Rand --- 21 DMG

We're back in business, and everyone's going to get XP and gold for sure. All the Ice Dragon can do at this point is delay the process; there's no chance of it killing us all.

-= Rounds 24 onwards =-

* Granis Truthbearer - Healstorm 1 >> Kumog --- 20 HP healed.
>> Granis Truthbearer --- 68 HP healed.
>> Eilidh Whiterose --- 73 HP healed.
>> Rand --- 75 HP healed.
* Rand - Life 1 >> Nobuo Uematsu
* Eilidh Whiterose --- Meditate --- 25 MP restored.
* Ice Dragon(13) >> Eilidh Whiterose --- MISSED
<Kumog>: spoony

* Rand - Cure 2 >> Nobuo Uematsu --- 156 HP healed.
<Kumog>: Meant to dive...mutter
* Granis Truthbearer --- Meditate --- 48 MP restored.
* Eilidh Whiterose - Cure 2 >> Nobuo Uematsu --- 21 HP healed.
* Nobuo Uematsu - Poison 3 >> Ice Dragon(13) --- 384 DMG.
* Ice Dragon(13) >> Kumog --- MISSED
* Ice Dragon(13) - Poison >> 68 DMG

* Kumog --- Jump
* Rand - Healstorm 1 >> Granis Truthbearer --- 75 HP healed.
>> Eilidh Whiterose --- 31 HP healed.
>> Rand --- 70 HP healed.
* Granis Truthbearer - Healstorm 1 >> Granis Truthbearer --- 72 HP healed.
>> Rand --- 67 HP healed.
<Granis Truthbearer>: Gentleman, this wa quite the comeback.
* Eilidh Whiterose >> Ice Dragon(13) --- 4 HITS -- 247 DMG (WEAK)
* Nobuo Uematsu - Poison 3 >> Ice Dragon(13) --- 383 DMG.
<Kumog>: Aye.
* Ice Dragon(13) >> Rand --- MISSED
* Ice Dragon(13) - Poison >> 68 DMG
* Kumog --- Dive
* Kumog >> Ice Dragon(13) --- 2 HITS -- 867 DMG

Gained EXP: 111,600
Found GOLD: 143

Nobuo Uematsu gained a level.

So in the end, we managed to win the fight and bring back all three casualties from the icy touch of the cavern floor (and death). It was probably the most enjoyment and suspense I've felt in a non-boss fight since... well, ever.

[Rand]

Till Version 8, right Faru? Heh. It WAS a lot of fun. Thanks for making me come with you lot. I really need to level some more actually...

[Kumog]

Agreed, it was a damn fun party even though we only fought two fights, that second one made it completely worthwhile for the epicness.

Not every day when the ranger is the one reviving damn near everyone.

[lordphoenix]

kumog said:

Agreed, it was a damn fun party even though we only fought two fights, that second one made it completely worthwhile for the epicness.

Not every day when the ranger is the one reviving damn near everyone.

Check out one of my IC parties some time, then. We dun need no stinkin healers .

[kaliesto]

Looks like you guys went through some tough times lol.